Beach Boys singer Mike Love heaped praise on President Trump after watching him sign the Music Modernization Act into law on Thursday, crediting the president with trying to help a number of musicians, including Whitney Houston with her drug addiction.

“Thank you so much for your support of music historically,” Mr. Love said after taking the podium. “I remember you tried your best to help get Whitney Houston in some kind of shape.

“You tried your best to help Whitney and she’s not the only one you’ve benefited and tried [to help],” he said. “People can say what they want, but you’ve always been a big supporter of some of the best music that America has ever made.”

In expressing his gratitude to Mr. Trump and American values, Mr. Love reminisced about the Beach Boys being treated like “heroes” in Czechoslovakia shortly after the Soviets invaded in 1968.

“Because of our music and because of America and the freedom that we represented, we were welcomed like heroes,” he said. “All we were doing was playing our songs, but it meant a lot to people all over the world.”

Moments before Mr. Love’s remarks, Mr. Trump signed the industry-hailed Music Modernization Act into law, which modernizes current copyright laws for the streaming age. Kid Rock, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Sam Moore were also in attendance for the signing.

It’s unclear what specifically the president did to try to help Houston, who died of a drug-induced bathtub drowning in 2012 at age 48. Mr. Trump has spoken out about his friendship with Houston and her death many times in the past, saying the people around her, including the media, failed to help a woman who was clearly in trouble.

Mr. Trump attended her wedding to Bobby Brown in 1992.