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Red Young

Red Young was born in Fort Worth, Texas. Growing up with a classical background and listening to everyone from Van Cliburn (whom he met at age 11), Ray Charles, B.B. King, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ft. Worth natives Delbert McClinton, Ray Sharpe, King Curtis, Freddy King and many other Texas Blues and Jazz Players. He accompanied vocalists, choirs, played in bands and in general grew up with a well-rounded musical education. Upon leaving high school, he first went to North Texas State in Denton, then on the road with trumpeter Clyde McCoy's band in1967 (who recorded Sugar Blues in 1927 and worked thoughout the Big Band era), and performed on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson show from New York. In1968, Red joined the Air Force Band rather than get drafted and go to Viet Nam and was stationed first in Wichita Falls, Texas; then Ramstein, Germany; and finally Springfield, Massachusetts. In Springfield he learned a great deal about arranging for big band and horns and formed a Chicago/Blood, Sweat & Tears group which played concerts all over New England with the Air Force. He started playing the Hammond B3 Organ in 1970 and bought his first B3 in 1971. Upon discharge in 1972, he stayed around the New England area and traved with an organ trio-Hammond B-3, drums & saxophone. On Monday nights he would venture to New York to see the famed Thad Jones-Mel Lewis band play at the Village Vanguard which further fueled his interest in Big Band music.

After spending a number of years away from Texas, when an opportunity arose to go back, he took it. This time it was a band formed to back up Lloyd Price (Personality, Stagger Lee, Lawdy Miss Claudy). After the 3 month tour, Red again returned to Texas. He joined two brothers, Bill and Warren Ham form a 5 piece jazz-fusion band called the Ham Brothers Band. The band became successful on the local Dallas-Ft. Worth scene even opening for such acts as Chick Corea, Brian Auger and Weather Report among others. Through this association Red became an integral part of the recording scene in Dallas-Ft Worth and Sugar Hill Studios in Houston run by producer Huey Meaux. Red recorded on albums for Freddy Fender, Kinky Friedman, Noel Redding (bassist with Jimi Hendrix), and many other of Huey's clients. Red did vocal & instumental arrangements on numerous albums as well as keyboard & vocal harmony duties.

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Organizer

Blues Leaf Records
2003

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