Steve Young (musician)

Steve Young (July 12, 1942 – March 17, 2016)[1] was an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road" (on Rock Salt & Nails & Seven Bridges Road). He was a pioneer of the country rock, Americana, and alternative country sounds, and also a vital force behind the "outlaw movement" that gave support to the careers of Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Jr. and more. Young was also featured in the 1975 Outlaw Country documentary Heartworn Highways. He was the subject of the song "The All Golden" by Van Dyke Parks. Young's first album, Rock Salt & Nails, on A&M, featured Gram Parsons, Gene Clark, and other musicians from the 1969 musical community in Southern California.

Not to be confused with Steve Young.

Steve Young
Born(1942-07-12)July 12, 1942
Newnan, Georgia, U.S.
DiedMarch 17, 2016(2016-03-17) (aged 73)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
LabelsA&M
RCA
Rounder
Watermelon

Biography

Born in Newnan, Georgia, United States,[2] he grew up in Gadsden, Alabama, and the state of Texas, moving from place to place as his family searched for work.[3] By the time he had completed high school, Young was playing and writing songs that incorporated influences of folk, blues, country and gospel, that he absorbed while travelling throughout the South. In the late 1960s, he worked with Van Dyke Parks and was member of the psychedelic country band Stone Country.[2]

Young wrote many songs, including "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" (covered by Waylon Jennings) and "Montgomery In the Rain" (covered by Hank Williams, Jr.).[2]

During the late 1970s, Young became a Buddhist and a vegetarian.[4]

His best-known composition is "Seven Bridges Road", which became a hit for Eagles when they included a cover of it on their live album in 1980.[2] Earlier covers of the song were done by Joan Baez, Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth, Iain Matthews, Dolly Parton, and Rita Coolidge.[2]

In 1984, Young charted the single "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way" on RCA Records.[2] It peaked at No. 84 on Hot Country Songs.[5] In 1989, Young did a mini tour in the Northwest with singer-songwriter Tim Otto, performing in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. In 1991, Otto took the cover shot for Steve Young's Solo/Live CD on Watermelon Records. Townes Van Zandt wrote the liner notes. The 1996 concert recording by Van Dyke Parks entitled Moonlighting: Live at the Ash Grove (released in 1998) was headlined by Young, although he did not appear on the recordings.

In 1993, Young played a show in Lichtenvoorde, The Netherlands, together with David Olney. This show then was recorded by SCR Productions. Olney's track were released on his Live in Holland album in 1994. In 2019, an album of Young's tracks was released, also titled Live in Holland. David Olney took care of the liner notes, and performed on a few tracks on harmonica.

Steve Young had been in declining health since suffering a head injury sustained in a fall in October 2015. He died after a brief stay in a Nashville, Tennessee hospice, on March 17, 2016. He was 73.[6][7]

Discography
Year Album Label US Country
1968 Stone Country (with Stone Country) RCA Victor
1969 Rock Salt & Nails A&M
1972 Seven Bridges Road Reprise
1975 Honky Tonk Man Mountain Railroad
1976 Renegade Picker RCA Victor 48
1978 No Place to Fall RCA
1981 To Satisfy You Mill
1981 Seven Bridges Road (1) Rounder
1984 Old Memories Country Roads
1986 Look Homeward Angel Mill
1990 Long Time Rider VooDoo
1991 Solo/Live Watermelon
1993 Switchblades of Love Watermelon
1994 Lonesome, On'ry & Mean 1968–1978 Raven
2000 Primal Young Appleseed
2005 Songlines Revisited Volume One Starry Pyramid
2007 Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend Starry Pyramid
2019 Live in Holland 1993 Strictly Country Records

(1) Differs from 1972 release in that one new track was added and all other tracks were remixed.

References
  1. Betts, Stephen L. (March 18, 2016). "'Seven Bridges Road' Singer Steve Young Dead at 73". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  2. Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 472/3. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
  3. "Interview with singer, songwriter and musician: Steve Young | The Adventures of Trevor McShane". Trevormcshanemusic.wordpress.com. July 15, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  4. "Behind the Song: The Eagles "Seven Bridges Road" « American Songwriter". December 13, 2019. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 485. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  6. Thanki, Juli (March 20, 2016). "'Seven Bridges Road' Songwriter Steve Young Dead at 73". The Tennessean. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  7. Sweeting, Adam (March 27, 2016). "Steve Young obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
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