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Artist
Kathy Young
12+ albums
60spopoldiesamericandoo wop
about
Kathy Young (born October 21, 1945) is an American doo wop singer, known as "The Cinderella of Show Business." At age fourteen, Young was signed to Indigo Records, and recorded the definitive version of the ballad "A Thousand Stars", which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. For most of her career, including her famous single, The Innocents served as her backing vocalists. On Monogram Records, she recorded a series of duets with Chris Montez -- a pairing known as Chris & Kathy -- among them surf rock classic "Shoot That Curl". Born in Santa Ana, California, Young had aspirations of becoming a professional singer from the age of five; her supportive friends from high school in Long Beach helped her raise money for a demo recording session. In 1960, Young attended a local taping for the Wink Martindale Show, with Frankie Avalon and The Innocents on the bill. She came to notice Indigo record executive Jim Lee in attendance; after the show, Young approached him and asked him outright how to become a recording artist. Convinced by her determination, and the support of her family and friends, Lee gave her his card and invited her for an audition at Indigo. When it was suggested to Indigo executives that The Innocents record "A Thousand Stars" (originally a minor hit for The Rivileers) as a follow-up to their hit single, "Honest I Do", the general opinion was that it had hit potential if sung by a female lead vocalist. Young was called in to cut a record with The Innocent
