Steve Young (musician)
Encyclopedia
Steve Young is an American country music
singer, songwriter and guitarist
, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road
" (on Rock Salt & Nails
& Seven Bridges Road
). He is 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 is the subject of the song "The All Golden" by Van Dyke Parks
.
, Georgia
, he grew up in Alabama
, Georgia and Texas
, moving from place to place as his family searched for work. 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 60s he worked with Van Dyke Parks and was member of the psychedelic country band Stone Country.
Steve Young wrote (and continues to write) many songs, including outlaw classics such as "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
" (covered by Waylon Jennings) and "Montgomery In the Rain" (covered by Hank Williams, Jr.).
His best-known composition is "Seven Bridges Road
", which became a major hit for Eagles when they included a cover of it on their live album in 1980.
In 1984, Young charted the single "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way" on RCA Records
. It peaked at #84 on Hot Country Songs
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer, songwriter and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road
Seven Bridges Road
"Seven Bridges Road" is the title of a song written by Steve Young that he recorded in 1969 for his Rock Salt & Nails album. A popular version was recorded by the Eagles in 1980 which still receives significant airplay on classic rock stations....
" (on Rock Salt & Nails
Rock Salt & Nails (album)
Rock Salt and Nails is the debut album by Steve Young. It is a pioneering Country rock/Outlaw country album that was recorded in 1969, with guest musicians Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and James Burton.-Track listing:...
& Seven Bridges Road
Seven Bridges Road (album)
Seven Bridges Road is the second album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young.-Track listing:#"Seven Bridges Road" - 3:22#"My Oklahoma" - 2:58#"The White Trash Song" - 2:50...
). He is a pioneer of the country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
, Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
, and alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
sounds, and also a vital force behind the 'outlaw movement
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
' that gave support to the careers of Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
and more. Young was also featured in the 1975 Outlaw Country
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
documentary Heartworn Highways
Heartworn Highways
Heartworn Highways is documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976...
. He is the subject of the song "The All Golden" by Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
.
Biography
Born in NewnanNewnan, Georgia
Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, he grew up in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Georgia and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, moving from place to place as his family searched for work. By the time he had completed high school, Young was playing and writing songs that incorporated influences of folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, country and gospel that he absorbed while travelling throughout the South. In the late 60s he worked with Van Dyke Parks and was member of the psychedelic country band Stone Country.
Steve Young wrote (and continues to write) many songs, including outlaw classics such as "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
Lonesome, On'ry and Mean is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1973. It was, after Good Hearted Woman and Ladies Love Outlaws, the third in a series of albums which were to establish Jennings as one of the most prominent representatives of the country movement, reaching #8 on...
" (covered by Waylon Jennings) and "Montgomery In the Rain" (covered by Hank Williams, Jr.).
His best-known composition is "Seven Bridges Road
Seven Bridges Road
"Seven Bridges Road" is the title of a song written by Steve Young that he recorded in 1969 for his Rock Salt & Nails album. A popular version was recorded by the Eagles in 1980 which still receives significant airplay on classic rock stations....
", which became a major hit for Eagles when they included a cover of it on their live album in 1980.
In 1984, Young charted the single "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way" on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. It peaked at #84 on Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
.
Discography
| Year | Album | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Rock Salt & Nails Rock Salt & Nails (album) Rock Salt and Nails is the debut album by Steve Young. It is a pioneering Country rock/Outlaw country album that was recorded in 1969, with guest musicians Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and James Burton.-Track listing:... |
|
| 1972 | Seven Bridges Road Seven Bridges Road (album) Seven Bridges Road is the second album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young.-Track listing:#"Seven Bridges Road" - 3:22#"My Oklahoma" - 2:58#"The White Trash Song" - 2:50... |
|
| 1975 | Honky Tonk Man Honky Tonk Man (album) Honky Tonk Man is the third album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young, although this album has more of a straight country sound.-Track listing:#"Honky Tonk Man" - 2:23... |
|
| 1976 | Renegade Picker Renegade Picker Renegade Picker is the fourth album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young, this album moves torward the Outlaw Country sound. The album contains his song Lonesome, On'ry and Mean, that became a hit for fellow outlaw Waylon Jennings.... |
48 |
| 1978 | No Place to Fall No Place to Fall No Place to Fall is the fifth album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young, this album has more of an Outlaw Country sound.-Track listing:#"No Place to Fall" #"Montgomery in the Rain" #"Dreamer"... |
|
| 1981 | To Satisfy You | |
| 1984 | Old Memories | |
| 1986 | Look Homeward Angel | |
| 1990 | Long Time Rider | |
| 1991 | Solo/Live | |
| 1993 | Switchblades of Love | |
| 2000 | Primal Young | |
| 2005 | Songlines Revisited Volume One | |
| 2007 | Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend |