As the world continues to mourn the recent passing of Brian Wilson, it’s interesting to look at some of the other beloved artists who were influenced and inspired by the music created by the Beach Boys legend and mastermind.

One of those respected artists was Paul Simon. Simon, of course, came to fame in the mid-1960s as half of the hugely successful New York City-based folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel.

[RELATED: Beach Boys Founder Brian Wilson’s Cause of Death Has Been Revealed]

In a 2018 biography, Paul Simon: The Life, written by Robert Hillburn, the singer/songwriter admitted that he initially wasn’t interested in The Beach Boys’ music, but he soon gained an appreciation for Wilson’s writing and composing.

“I didn’t pay a lot of attention to Brian for a while because the Beach Boys’ subject matter was so West Coast,” Simon explained. “But then he got into this really touching music with ‘In My Room’—and ‘Good Vibrations’ was amazing. The melodies are so beautiful, almost perfect. I began to realize he was one of the most gifted writers of our generation.”

Paul added, “Brian Wilson’s music has made a lot of people happy for a long time. I love his music.”

Simon’s Unforgettable Performance at a Wilson Tribute Concert

Simon had the opportunity share that love at a special, star-studded concert held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 29, 2001. The show, dubbed an All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson, was filmed for a television special that aired on the TNT network on July 4 that same year. Simon was among more than a dozen well-known artists who performed at the concert, along with Wilson himself.

The lineup also featured Elton John, Billy Joel, Carly Simon, David Crosby, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson, Vince Gill, Darius Rucker, The Go-Go’s, Jimmy Webb, Wilson Phillips, and more stars. The event featured renditions of a variety of Beach Boys songs written or co-written by Brian.

Simon played a beautiful solo acoustic version of “Surfer Girl,” one of The Beach Boys’ earliest hits. Paul rearranged the doo-wop inspired tune, transforming it into a gentle, ethereal lullaby.

According to Setlist.fm, the tribute show was the only time Simon ever performed “Surfer Girl” live. You can check out the performance on YouTube.

“Surfer Girl” was the title track of The Beach Boys’ third studio album, released in September 1963. The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wilson Also Paid Tribute to Simon in 2001

About a month before the all-star Wilson tribute show, Brian performed at a special event saluting Simon. On February 19, 2001, Paul was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year at a gala held in Los Angeles. Wilson was part of the event’s lineup, and sang the Simon & Garfunkel classic “The Sound of Silence.”

“I’m very proud that I get to be here tonight to be part of this tribute,” Brian said before his performance. “Paul Simon is one of the greatest songwriters of ever, and I think this is one of his greatest songs.”

Simon Toured with Wilson in 2001

Later that same year, Wilson and his solo band hit the road with Simon for a joint North American tour. The trek, which featured more than 20 dates, ran from a June 9 performance in Seattle through a July 24 concert in Wantagh, New York.

(Photo by KMazur/WireImage)