Billy Young

about

Billy Young (Daingerfield, TX, May 12, 1941 - August 19, 1999) is famous as the artist who initiated Otis Reddings own label Jotis that he set up with Atlantic promotion man Joe Galkin. But he was so much more than that – a hugely prolific artist running several labels, a community activist and social reformer whose work is celebrated annually in his adopted home town of Macon, GA. Young was born in Daingerfield, TX in 1941 moving, like so many from that state, to the West Coast. His early recordings were possibly for Crest as a member of the Classics, but the first 45 under his own name was for Original Sound in 1963. On this rather lightweight poppish disc which Northern soul fans seem to enjoy, Billy sings in a high register with a lot of falsetto phrases but when he moved to Macon he fell under the spell of Otis Redding who had a huge impact on the way he sang. Check out his rasping growl on the fine midtempo Same Thing All Over which was cut under Redding’s supervision at Fame. Rick Hall took over the production duties for Young’s only Chess release which coupled arguably the best ever version of the Fame evergreen “You Left The Water Running” with the outstanding deep soul of Tommy Roe’s Have Pity On Me. I think this side may just be Billy’s finest hour, so compelling is his pleading. I love the modulations in the arrangement and the big fat horn section as well. Otis continued to produce Young in Muscle Shoals and, after Jotis closed it’s doors, leased the results

top songs

albums

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Absolute Funk

Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures: Taken From Our Vaults Volume 1

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A Decade Of Chicago's Finest

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Retro Soul Magic

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The Fame Studios Story 1961-1973

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Rare Soul Ballads, Vol 2

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Super Rare Soul, Vol. 2

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Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures Volume 1

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Movements, Vol. 6

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Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures: Taken From Our Vaults, Vol. 1

Billy Young

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50 Greatest Soul