Al Jardine

Al Jardine (born September 3, 1942) is the former rhythm guitarist and founding member of The Beach Boys. He is best known for lead vocal duties on the #1 hit single "Help Me, Rhonda". He is also known for being the rhythm guitarist of the band, since 1963, replacing David Marks and innovating the 'Democratic Period' of the band from 1967 to 1974. He has one solo album, A Postcard from California, released on June 19, 2010.

Born in Lima, Ohio, Al was the son of a college professor. Him and his brother, Neal Jardine, were sporty and soon picked up the sport of football, which they would play at Hawthorne High School. The Jardines moved to Hawthorne in the 1950's, and moved next to the musical Wilson family. Al befriended teammate Brian Wilson and soon became friends with the full Wilson family. While Murry Wilson and Audree Wilson were out on holiday, Al and the rest of the band that would become the Beach Boys (including the Wilsons' cousin, Mike Love), the boys rented instruments and wrote their first song, "Surfin'".

Al's primary musical interests were folk, country, and blues, not alike the surf pop the group was doing. Al left the group after their first single "Surfin'" / "Luau" was released, to get his degree in dentistry. He got his degree and was called back to the group by Brian after David was kicked out in the summer of 1963 for tensions with Murry. David would eventually return to the band in 2012, with Al in the group too. Al would sing tenor harmony with Carl Wilson, and eventually sang his first lead vocal on "Christmas Day" from The Beach Boys' Christmas Album, released in 1964.

The innovations and ideas of Al would shape the group's shifting folkier and country inspirations throughout the 60's. He would sing lead on both versions of "Help Me, Rhonda", the second version of which would reach #1 on the Billboard 200. Al would suggest the idea of rearranging and covering the traditional folk standard "Sloop John B" during the Pet Sounds sessions. That single was very successful and earned the group another Top 10 single.