Mighty Joe Young (musician)

For other uses of terms redirecting here, see Mighty Joe Young (disambiguation)
Mighty Joe Young

Young in 1976
Background information
Birth name Joseph Young
Born (1927-09-23)September 23, 1927
Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died March 24, 1999(1999-03-24) (aged 71)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres Chicago blues[1]
Occupation(s) Musician, singer, guitarist
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active 1950s–1980s
Labels

Mighty Joe Young (September 23, 1927 – March 24, 1999)[2] was an American Chicago blues guitarist.[1]

Joseph Young was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but was raised in Milwaukee. He was an amateur boxer in the 1940s, but he later recalled that "It was nothing to write home about. I decided that music was the best thing to do."[3] He began his music career in the early 1950s, singing on the Milwaukee nightclub circuit. In 1955, he returned to Louisiana to make his recording debut, for Jiffy Records.[4]

Young worked as a sidemen in Chicago, starting in the 1950s.[5] He was occasionally a sideman with Otis Rush in the 1960s, playing on Rush's album Cold Day in Hell. He played on Magic Sam's albums West Side Soul and Black Magic[5][6] and also worked with Billy Boy Arnold, Jimmy Rogers, and Willie Dixon.[5]

Young's album Blues with a Touch of Soul was released by Delmark Records in 1971.[5]

His song "Turning Point" was used in the feature film Thief (1981), directed by Michael Mann.

Young died of pneumonia at the age of 71, which developed after he underwent spinal surgery meant to relieve numbness in his fingers that prevented him from playing the guitar.[7]

Discography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
  2. ↑ Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1998–1999". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
  3. ↑ "Joesph 'Mighty Joe' Young". L.A. Times. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mighty Joe Young". Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 194–195. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  6. ↑ "Remembering Mighty Joe Young". Delmark.com. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Joseph 'Mighty Joe' Young; Pioneering Blues Guitarist". Articles.latimes.com. 1999-04-05. Retrieved 2015-10-07.

External links

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