"I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while," McCartney wrote Thursday, a day after Wilson died at age 82.

Paul McCartney is paying tribute to music icon Brian Wilson following the death Wednesday of the Beach Boys co-founder.

Singer Elton John posted a photo of him and Wilson, writing, “Brian Wilson was always so kind to me from the day I met him. He sang ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ at a tribute concert in 2003, and it was an extraordinary moment for me.”