Reggie Young facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reggie Young
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Guitarist Reggie Young, in concert at the Back in Memphis benefit for Sweet Inspiration Myrna Smith, August 12th, 2010, Elvis Week, University of Memphis
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 12, 1936 Caruthersville, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | January 17, 2019 (aged 82) Leiper's Fork, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist |
| Instruments | Guitar, sitar |
| Years active | 1954–2019 |
| Associated acts | The Highwaymen, The Memphis Boys, Eddie Bond & the Stompers, Johnny Horton, Bill Black, Elvis Presley |
Reggie Grimes Young Jr. (born December 12, 1936 – died January 17, 2019) was an amazing American musician. He was a lead guitarist in a famous group called The Memphis Boys. Reggie was also a top session musician, meaning he played guitar on recordings for many other artists.
He played on songs for huge stars like Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Jimmy Buffett. Reggie Young was so talented that he was added to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019.
Contents
Early Music Days
Reggie Young was born in Caruthersville, Missouri, in 1936. He grew up in Osceola, Arkansas. His first band was called Eddie Bond & the Stompers. This rockabilly band toured with famous musicians like Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins in the mid-1950s.
By 1958, Reggie was playing with singer Johnny Horton. They appeared many times on a popular radio show called Louisiana Hayride.
Bill Black's Combo
Reggie was one of the first members of Bill Black's Combo. This group had several hit songs in the U.S. in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Some of their most successful songs were "Smokie, Pts. 1 & 2" and "White Silver Sands."
Billboard Magazine is a well-known music chart. It named Bill Black's Combo the best instrumental band for three years in a row, from 1960 to 1962.
In 1964, the famous band The Beatles asked Bill Black's Combo to open for them. This was during the Beatles' first tour in the U.S. After that, the Beatles invited the Combo to England for another tour.
The Memphis Boys
After Bill Black passed away in 1965, Reggie Young became a staff musician at Hi Studio in Memphis. In 1967, he joined American Sound Studio at the request of Chips Moman.
At American Sound Studio, Reggie became a key member of a group known as The Memphis Boys. This group of musicians helped create about 120 hit songs between 1967 and 1971. These songs included pop, country, rock, and soul music.
Reggie played on many famous Elvis Presley songs in 1969. These hits included "Suspicious Minds," "Kentucky Rain," and "In the Ghetto." When the studio closed in 1971, Reggie moved to Nashville. There, he continued to be a busy session player. He also played on more Elvis Presley sessions in 1973.
Later Career Highlights
In the early 1970s, Reggie Young played with Jimmy Buffett. He was part of Jimmy Buffett's first three Coral Reefer Bands.
Later, in 1984, Reggie played on recordings for The Highwaymen. This was a supergroup with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Reggie then toured with The Highwaymen for five years. He also played many shows with Waylon Jennings until Jennings passed away in 2002.
Reggie Young was nominated for a Grammy Award. He also performed at the Kennedy Center to honor Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. In 2008, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recognized Reggie as a "Nashville Cat." That same year, he released his first solo album called Be Still. He made this album with his wife, Jenny Lynn Young, who plays the cello.
In 2009, The Memphis Boys received an award for their amazing work on the song "Suspicious Minds." This was their first award after almost 45 years of playing together!
Personal Life
Reggie Young met his wife, Jenny Lynn Hollowell, in 1999. She is a talented cellist. They got married in 2004. They lived in Leipers Fork in middle Tennessee. Reggie spent a lot of his time writing music in his home studio.
Reggie Young passed away at his home on January 17, 2019.
Selected Recordings
Reggie Young played on many, many hit songs and albums. Here are some of the most famous ones:
Hit Songs
- The Box Tops - "The Letter" (a #1 hit!) and "Cry Like a Baby" (Reggie played electric sitar on this one!)
- Neil Diamond - "Sweet Caroline"
- Dobie Gray - "Drift Away"
- The Highwaymen - "Highwayman"
- Willie Nelson - "Always on My Mind" (a #1 country hit!)
- Elvis Presley - "Suspicious Minds" (a #1 hit!), "Kentucky Rain," and "In the Ghetto"
- Merrilee Rush - "Angel Of The Morning"
- Dusty Springfield - "Son of a Preacher Man" (from the album Dusty in Memphis)
- Billy Swan - "I Can Help" (a #1 hit!)
- B.J. Thomas - "Hooked On A Feeling" (Reggie played electric sitar on this one too!) and " (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" (another #1 hit!)
Famous Albums
- From Elvis in Memphis - Elvis Presley (1969)
- John Prine - John Prine (1971)
- A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean - Jimmy Buffett (1973)
- A1A - Jimmy Buffett (1974)
- Living and Dying in 3/4 Time - Jimmy Buffett (1974)
- The Gambler - Kenny Rogers (1978)
- 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs - Dolly Parton (1980)
- Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson (1982)
- Civilized Man - Joe Cocker (1984)
- Shania Twain - Shania Twain (1993)
