James Young (American musician) explained

James "J.Y." Young
Birth Name:	James Vincent Young
Birth Date:	14 November 1949
Birth Place:	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Spouse:	^[1]
Years Active:	1966–present
Current Member Of:	Styx^[2]

James Vincent Young (born November 14, 1949) is an American musician who is best known as one of the guitarists in the American rock band Styx, having served as the only continuous original member of the band.^[3]

In 1970, Young joined the band TW4^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} while a student at Illinois Institute of Technology, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. That band later became the first incarnation of Styx.

After Styx's initial breakup in 1984, Young collaborated with Jan Hammer on the album City Slicker (1985). Since reforming in 1995, Young is still a member of Styx.^[8]

Personal life

Young went to Calumet High School.^[9] His father, who he described as "very conservative",^[10] could play piano by ear. His idols were Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, and Albert King. Young's first band, the Catalinas, won a "Best Teens In America" contest, came in third place at a Chicago talent competition, and toured Europe in 1966.

On November 10, 2022, Young's wife of more than fifty years, Susan Godsted, died. Godsted had been partially paralyzed on the right side of her body as a result of a stroke.

Discography

Styx

See main article: Styx discography.

Solo studio albums

• City Slicker (1985), with Jan Hammer
• Out on a Day Pass (1988)
• Raised by Wolves (1995), with James Young Group

As guest

• Jim Peterik, Don't Fight the Feeling (1976)
• Tommy Shaw, Ambition (1987)
• Enuff Z'Nuff, Paraphernalia (1998)
• Enuff Z'nuff, Clowns Lounge (2016) (archival)

External links

• Unofficial James Young website
  • • James Young interview from 2017 with the Pods & Sods Network

Notes and References

1. Web site: STYX Guitarist JAMES 'JY' YOUNG Mourns Death Of His Wife Of 50 Years, SUSAN YOUNG . Blabbermouth . November 11, 2022 . 12 November 2022.
2. Web site: Wardlaw . Matt. James Young Looks Back on 50 Years of Styx: Exclusive Interview . 2023-02-24 . Ultimate Classic Rock . June 17, 2022 . en.
3. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p21538/biography|pure_url=yes}} Biography: James Young]. Prato. Greg. AMG. May 17, 2010.
4. Book: Panozzo, Chuck. The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life With Styx. 2007. AMACOM. 978-0-8144-0916-9. 57.
5. Book: Whitaker, Sterling. The Grand Delusion: The Unauthorized True Story of Styx. 2007. BookSurge Publishing. 978-1-4196-5353-7. 16.
6. News: Clark. Dick. Styx and stones.... Times-News. March 29, 1983.
7. News: Mayne. Mya. His band breaks up temporarily, but James Young 'Styx' to music career. July 14, 2013. Observer-Reporter. April 22, 1986.
8. Web site: Styxworld . Band . 2024-09-14 . Styxworld.
9. Web site: James Young - biography . 2024-09-14 . www.jamesjyyoung.com.
10. Web site: Blabbermouth . 2022-11-11 . STYX Guitarist JAMES 'JY' YOUNG Mourns Death Of His Wife Of 50 Years, SUSAN YOUNG . 2024-09-14 . BLABBERMOUTH.NET . en.