Mighty Joe Young (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mighty Joe Young
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Young in 1976
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joseph Young Jr. |
| Born | September 23, 1927 Shreveport, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | March 24, 1999 (aged 71) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Chicago blues, blues soul |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, guitarist |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1950s–1980s |
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Joseph Young Jr. (born September 23, 1927) was an American musician. He was best known as Mighty Joe Young, a talented Chicago blues guitarist. He played the guitar and sang, becoming famous for his blues and soul music. He passed away on March 24, 1999.
Contents
Who Was Mighty Joe Young?
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Joseph Young Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Around 1945, he moved to Milwaukee. When he was younger, in the 1940s, he tried boxing as a hobby. However, he soon realized that music was his true passion.
He started his music career in the early 1950s. He would sing in nightclubs around Milwaukee. He chose his stage name, Mighty Joe Young, after a popular movie from that time. In 1955, he went back to Louisiana to record his very first songs for Jiffy Records.
Playing with the Stars
After his first recordings, Mighty Joe Young moved to Chicago. There, he worked as a sideman. A sideman is a musician who plays with other main artists. He played with groups like Joe Little & his Heart Breakers and Billy Boy Arnold. In 1961, he recorded two songs, "Why Baby" and "Empty Arms."
He also performed with famous blues artists like Otis Rush in the early 1960s. He played on Rush's album Cold Day in Hell. Mighty Joe Young also made his own recordings for smaller record labels. He played on Magic Sam's well-known albums, West Side Soul and Black Magic. He also worked with other blues legends such as Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Tyrone Davis, and Jimmy Dawkins.
Later Career and Legacy
Mighty Joe Young released his album Blues with a Touch of Soul in 1971. This album came out on Delmark Records. He then released two more albums in the mid-1970s on the Ovation label.
During the 1970s and 1980s, he often performed at the Wise Fools Pub in Chicago. One of his songs, "Turning Point," was even used in a movie! It was featured in the 1981 film Thief, directed by Michael Mann.
In 1986, he started working on a new album. This album, called Mighty Man, was finally released in 1997. Sadly, he had some health problems. After surgery for a pinched nerve in his neck, his fingers became numb. This made it hard for him to play his guitar. In 1998, he had another surgery on his spine to try and get the feeling back in his fingers. However, he later developed pneumonia and passed away at age 71.
Mighty Joe Young's Music
Here is a list of some of the albums Mighty Joe Young released:
- Blues with a Touch of Soul (Delmark), 1971
- Legacy of the Blues, vol. 4 (Sonet), 1972
- Chicken Heads (Ovation), 1974
- Mighty Joe Young (Ovation), 1976
- Bluesy Josephine (Black and Blue), 1976
- Love Gone (Ovation), 1978
- Live at the Wise Fools Pub (Aim Trading Group), 1978
- Mighty Man (Blind Pig), 1997
He also played on these albums with Magic Sam:
- West Side Soul (Delmark, 1967)
- Black Magic (Delmark, 1968)
- The Magic Sam Legacy (Delmark, 1967/68 [1989])
See also
- List of nicknames of blues musicians
