Johnny Young facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Young
Young Talent Time media event, Luna Park Sydney, January 2012
Background information
Birth name	Johnny Benjamin de Jong
Also known as	John B. Young
Born	(1947-03-12) 12 March 1947 (age 78) Rotterdam, Netherlands
Origin	Perth, Western Australia
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	musician singer songwriter record producer disc jockey television presenter television producer radio presenter entrepreneur
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1961–present
Labels	7-Teen >Clarion Festival L&Y Calendar
Associated acts	The Nomads the Strangers Johnny Young & Kompany Danny's Word

Johnny Young (born Johnny Benjamin de Jong; 12 March 1947) is a famous Dutch Australian singer, songwriter, and TV host. He was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and his family moved to Perth, Australia, in the early 1950s.

Johnny Young became a pop star in the 1960s. He had a number-one hit song called "Step Back" in 1966. At the same time, he became well-known as the host of a TV music show called The Go!! Show. He even toured with famous bands like The Rolling Stones!

Later, Johnny Young became a very successful songwriter. He wrote number-one hits for other artists, including "The Real Thing" for Russell Morris. But he is perhaps most famous for creating and hosting the popular TV show Young Talent Time. This show ran from 1971 to 1988 and helped start the careers of many young stars like Danni Minogue and Tina Arena.

Johnny Young has been honored for his amazing career. He was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame in 1990 and the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010. He is the first person to be in both of these special halls of fame!

About Johnny Young

His Early Life

Johnny Young was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on March 12, 1947. When he was a young child, his family moved to Perth, Western Australia. They settled in a place called Kalamunda.

Johnny's mother loved music and was in a choir. She encouraged his interest in singing from a young age. He would sing on Saturday morning radio shows for kids. After school, he worked as a trainee disc jockey (DJ) and started singing at local dances. When he was 14, he became the lead singer for a band called The Nomads, which later became The Strangers.

Becoming a Pop Singer

In 1965, when Johnny was 18, he hosted a TV pop music show in Perth called Club Seventeen. He released a few songs with his band, Johnny Young & the Strangers.

In 1966, he formed a new band called Johnny Young & Kompany. They released the song "Step Back," which quickly became a huge hit, reaching number one in Australia! This song was so popular it was one of the best-selling Australian songs of the 1960s.

Johnny Young & Kompany moved to Melbourne. Johnny also became the host of The Go!! Show, a popular TV music program. He had another big hit with his version of the Beatles' song "All My Loving", which became his signature song. For his work on The Go!! Show, Johnny won a Logie Award for "Best Teenage Personality" in 1967.

Writing Hit Songs

Johnny Young started writing songs in the late 1960s. He learned that a good song needs a "hook" – something catchy that people remember.

In 1968, he wrote "The Real Thing" for singer Russell Morris. This song became a massive number-one hit in 1969 and made Russell Morris a huge star. Johnny also wrote "The Girl That I Love" for Russell Morris, which also hit number one.

He wrote "The Star" for Ross D. Wyllie, which also reached number one. This song was about how lonely fame can be. Johnny also wrote "Smiley" for Ronnie Burns and "I Thank You" for former boxing champion Lionel Rose, which became a number-one hit too. By 1970, Johnny Young was voted the most popular 'Composer' of the year in a big pop music poll.

Young Talent Time

In 1970, Johnny Young started a production company. They created a children's variety show and talent competition called Young Talent Time, which first aired in April 1971. Johnny was the host of the show.

The show featured a group of talented young performers called the Young Talent Team. Young Talent Time helped launch the careers of many famous Australian performers, including Jamie Redfern, Debra Byrne, Dannii Minogue, and Tina Arena. Each episode usually ended with Johnny and the team singing "All My Loving" together.

Johnny also opened the Johnny Young Talent School in 1979 to teach performance arts. Many students from his school later appeared on Young Talent Time.

Young Talent Time was a huge success for many years. However, in 1989, the TV network decided to stop the show. This was a difficult time for Johnny. But in 1990, he was inducted into the TV Week Logie Awards' Hall of Fame for his amazing work in Australian television.

In 2012, a new version of Young Talent Time aired, with Johnny Young as an executive producer and judge.

Later Career

After Young Talent Time, Johnny Young continued to work in entertainment. He worked as a radio DJ and sometimes performed live.

In 2001, Network Ten celebrated the 30th anniversary of Young Talent Time with a special documentary. Johnny Young also hosted The Pet Show on ABC Television in 2006.

On October 27, 2010, Johnny Young was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. This was a huge honor, recognizing his 50 years in the music industry. Tina Arena, a former Young Talent Team member, inducted him and sang one of his songs.

In 2021, a special show called Young Talent Time: Unmasked celebrated the show's 50th anniversary, with Johnny, Dannii Minogue, and Tina Arena sharing memories.

Personal Life

Johnny Young has three children: Craig, Anna, and Fleur. He also has nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His daughter Anna teaches singing and dancing at The Johnny Young Talent School.

Discography

Albums

• Young Johnny (Johnny Young & Kompany) – Festival (1966)
• Johnny Young's Golden LP (Johnny Young & Kompany) – Clarion (1966)
• It's a Wonderful World – Clarion (1967)
• Surprises – Clarion (1968)
• The Young Man and His Music – Festival (1971)
• A Musical Portrait – L&Y (1973)
• The Best of Johnny Young – Calendar (1974)
• All My Loving – Pisces Records/Astor Records (1978)

EPs

• Let It Be Me (Johnny Young & Kompany) – Clarion (1966)
• Kiss Me Now (Johnny Young & Kompany) – Clarion (1966)
• All My Loving – Clarion (April 1967)
• Craise Finton Kirk – Clarion (1968)

Singles

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards that celebrate great achievements in Australian music. Johnny Young was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame

The Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame honors the lifetime achievements of Australia's best songwriters.

Go-Set Pop Poll

The Go-Set Pop Poll was a yearly survey by a teen pop music newspaper, Go-Set. Readers voted for their favorite music stars.

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards celebrate achievements in Western Australian music each year.