Kathy Young is one of the American singers that gained popularity at a tender age. The pop singer leaped into the limelight following her version of “A Thousand Stars” in the 60s. No one ever thought that a young girl at 15 would stun the music world with her voice, but did when she got the chance.
The song made her not only famous but peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the 6th on the US R&B chart. She released her studio debut album titled “The Sound of Kathy Young” in 1961 and went into oblivion for two decades.
She made a comeback in 1981 with a second titled “Our Best to You”. And went silent again and reappeared again in the 2000s with a couple of performances. She is now living a quiet life.
Here are some interesting facts about the singer.
10 Interesting Facts About Kathy Young
1. Where Is She From?
Kathy Young Was born Kathryn Yovonne Young on the 21st of October 1945 in Santa Ana, Orange County, California, US. She and her siblings; Betty Lou Gleason, Barbara Beebe, and Carol Proffitt were raised by their parents Robert Young and Elizabeth Louise Henderson in the Los Angeles area.
She is currently 79 years old.
2. She Was Born Some Weeks After World War 2 Ended
World war 2 ended on the 2nd of September 1945, while the singer was born 6 weeks after the brutal war. She was lucky not to have arrived during the catastrophe of the war.
3. She Had A Concussion Once
There are reports suggesting that Kathy Young suffered a head injury (concussion) in a swimming pool. The accident prevented her from meeting Jim Lee early after he invited her. She recovered after 3 weeks before meeting the producer.
That was how the story of Kathy’s version of A Thousand Years began.
Also; Read Gale Garnett- Where In God’s Name Is The Canadian Singer? 7 Facts About Her
4. A Thousand Years Made The Difference For Kathy Young
There are several examples of how young people gained in the music industry now, however, it is an unusual occurrence in those days. But, Kathy got her opportunity at 15, grabbed it, judiciously used it. And became one of the youngest talents to storm the world of music in the 60s.
Her version of A Thousand Stars made her one of the youngest stars of her time. The song was originally made by the group of Singers known as The Rivileers in 1954. It was Indigo Records producer, Jim Lee that picked the band, The Innocents to sing as backup vocalists to her rendition.
Two months exactly, her version started breaking new records. First, it reached the 6th position on the R&B Singles Chart without wasting time. And made its way to 3rd position on the Billboard Hot 100.
So, it became the song that made a difference for the young singer.
5. There Are Other Versions Of A Thousand Years Sang By Other Artists
Asides from the original singers of the song, Kathy Young wasn’t the only singer that sang a version of the song. There are other versions too. First, Billy Fury released his own version, which went to be peak at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1961.
Then Linda Scott sang her version in 1961. She released it in her Starlight, Star-bright album.
Last, The Daughters of Eve released their version as the B-side to their single released in 1968, titled “A Social Tragedy”.
They all did well, but it was Kathy’s version that proved to be the best of them all.
6. Kathy Young Allegedly Married And Divorced Twice
When sing saw her flourishing career was declining, she traveled to London in 1964. It was while there that she got married for the first time in 1965. She married John Joseph Maus, popularly known as Paul Walker, the founder of the American pop group called The Walker Brothers.
Sadly, things didn’t work out well with the marriage. It ended in 1968, while she returned to the US in 1969. She stayed for two more years before getting married again. She married David Paul White on the 13th of February 1971, but it lasted for 2 decades, ending in a divorce for the second time.
Reports revealed she had two children, a daughter and a son named; Ali and Josh.
7. Doo-Wop Hall Of Fame Inductee
The Singer became an inductee of the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame. Its founder Harvey Robbins inducted her on 12th October 2014, which held at the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts.
8. Net Worth of Kathy Young
Kathy Young has an estimated net worth of $1 million. She made the money from her music career. She would have made more if not for the intermittent breaks her musical career suffered over the years.
9. What Is She Doing Now?
While it may seem like she is no longer making music, the singer cannot stay away from it. It is what she loves to do. So, since the 2000s, she has been performing in various rock n roll musical events in places like Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre and New Jersey’s Izod Center.
10. Popular Works
Her major works include 2 albums and quite a few songs. The albums are:
- The Sound of Kathy Young (1961)
- Our Best to You (1981)
Some of her major hits include:
- A Thousand Stars (1961)
- Happy Birthday Blues (1961)
- Magic is the Night (1961)
- Sparkle and Shine (1979)
