Don Wilson, the Ventures co-founder and rhythm guitarist, died on January 22, 2022, in Tacoma, Washington. He was 88 years old.

In the 1960s, The Ventures helped set the standard for pop-rock rhythm with hits like the surf song “Walk, Don’t Run.” They also recorded a version of the Hawaii Five-0 theme song, which became a Top 10 hit.

The Ventures saw 14 of their songs land in the Billboard Hot 100, selling over 100 million records. Their first album Walk, Don’t Run was released in 1960 with the title track reaching the No. 2 spot on the charts. Their albums throughout the ‘60s included Ventures in Space, Wild Things!, and Guitar Freakout.

Wilson was born on February 10, 1933, in Tacoma. He learned to play guitar while he was in the armed services, then he worked as a car salesman and construction worker. In the late 1950s, he and guitarist Bob Bogle started putting a band together, adding Nokie Edwards on bass guitar and Howie Johnson on drums. After Johnson broke his neck in a car accident in ’61, Mel Taylor took over on drums and Edwards moved to lead guitar.

The band continued to perform after their heyday in the ‘60s, and through the lineup changes, Wilson remained the one member consistently with the group. According to his family’s statement, he didn’t miss a tour up to his retirement in 2015.

The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.