James Young (American musician)
Encyclopedia
James "J.Y." Young is a guitarist
, singer and songwriter, and member of the rock band
, Styx
. Young began playing keyboard
and piano
at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet
and guitar
during those years.
J.Y. joined TW4 while a student at Illinois Institute of Technology
, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1970. That band later became the first incarnation of Styx.
After the band's initial breakup in 1983, Young released the solo
album
s City Slicker, Out On A Day Pass, and Raised By Wolves. He is the only original member left in the current lineup, and has appeared on all Styx albums. He and longtime member Tommy Shaw
from the band's hitmaking heyday lead the band, and original bassist
Chuck Panozzo
still appears on recent album
s and at certain concert
s as a guest musician
.
Young tends to write
the more hard rock
pieces for Styx. He is best known for "Miss America" and "Snowblind
". A glance at the album, Best of Styx
shows that his song
s were more popular in the band's early days than during its years of more mainstream popularity. Young managed the Chicago, Ill.-based rock band 7th Heaven
in 1998 along with Alec John Such
of the band Bon Jovi
.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, singer and songwriter, and member of the rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
. Young began playing keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
during those years.
J.Y. joined TW4 while a student at Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1970. That band later became the first incarnation of Styx.
After the band's initial breakup in 1983, Young released the solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s City Slicker, Out On A Day Pass, and Raised By Wolves. He is the only original member left in the current lineup, and has appeared on all Styx albums. He and longtime member Tommy Shaw
Tommy Shaw
Tommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
from the band's hitmaking heyday lead the band, and original bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Chuck Panozzo
Chuck Panozzo
Charles Salvatore "Chuck" Panozzo is an American musician best known as the bass player for the rock band Styx. A longtime member of Styx, he founded the group with his fraternal twin brother, drummer John Panozzo, who died in July 1996, and singer Dennis DeYoung...
still appears on recent album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s and at certain concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s as a guest musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Young tends to write
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
the more hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
pieces for Styx. He is best known for "Miss America" and "Snowblind
Snowblind (Styx song)
"Snowblind" is a song by Styx that appears on the Paradise Theater album released in 1981. The song is about the helplessness of cocaine addiction, alternating between slow, brooding verses and a faster, harder-edged chorus, representing the addict's cycle of highs and lows...
". A glance at the album, Best of Styx
Best of Styx
With the success of Styx's album The Grand Illusion, Wooden Nickel Records, Styx's previous label, released Best of Styx, which contained selected Styx songs in the Wooden Nickel catalog. Styx had left Wooden Nickel Records to sign with A&M Records several years earlier, so the compilation does not...
shows that his song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s were more popular in the band's early days than during its years of more mainstream popularity. Young managed the Chicago, Ill.-based rock band 7th Heaven
7th heaven band
7th heaven is a Chicago, Illinois-based rock band created by guitarist Richie Hofherr, Tony Di Giulio and Michael Mooshey. Formed in 1985, it has continued up to present day with changing band members....
in 1998 along with Alec John Such
Alec John Such
Alec John Such is an American musician, and the former bassist for the band Bon Jovi. He left the band in 1994, and has not been officially replaced. As well as playing bass guitar, Such sang backing vocals and occasionally took the lead for part of 'Blood on Blood' at live shows...
of the band Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
.