John Paul Young
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| John Paul Young | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 June 1950 |
| Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genre(s) | Pop |
| Years active | 1970s - present |
| Label(s) | Albert Productions |
John Paul Young (born 21 June 1950 in Glasgow, Scotland) is an Australian singer best known for his 1978 worldwide hit single "Love Is in the Air."
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[edit] Early career
Young and his family emigrated to Australia in his youth, and by the early 1970s he had become the lead singer with Sydney rock band Elm Tree. In early 1972 he was selected for the role of Ananias in the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar and he remained with the production until it closed in 1974.
Visiting producer-manager Simon Napier-Bell heard him singing with his group in a pub in Newcastle and persuaded him to sign as a solo artist to Albert Productions, (the company that had produced Australia's top Sixties group The Easybeats). Napier-Bell then produced Young's first hit single, "Pasadena", at Armstrong Studios in Melbourne. The song was co-written by George Young and Harry Vanda of the Easybeats together with British actor David Hemmings who was a partner in Napier-Bell's label, SNB Records. Vanda & Young also produced AC/DC.[citation needed] The single was released using the name "John Young" but later releases used his full name to avoid confusion with 'sixties pop star Johnny Young.
[edit] Chart successes
When George and Harry returned to Australia, they took over as Young's producers and began writing and producing songs for him. A string of hits followed in Australia including "Yesterday's Hero", "St. Louis", "The Love Game", "Here We Go", "Keep On Smiling", "Where The Action Is", "I Hate The Music" and "I Wanna Do It With You". In addition to his Australian success, he achieved hit singles in Europe, Asia and South Africa. "Yesterday's Hero" also became a minor hit in the United States.
In 1977 he released a disco song titled "Standing In The Rain" which became a major hit throughout Europe. As a result of his popularity he was crowned Australian 'King of Pop' in 1978.[1] His next single, "Love is in the Air", became his only worldwide hit during 1978, peaking at #2 on the Australian charts, #7 in the US, and #5 in the UK singles chart. Subsequent singles such as "The Day That My Heart Caught Fire" and "Heaven Sent" continued the disco style but did not find an audience. He turned to a more contemporary rock style in the 1980s and had his final Top 10 hit in Australia in 1983 with the single "Soldier of Fortune".
[edit] Later career
Young ceased recording new music and concentrated on a second career as a disc jockey until the film Strictly Ballroom was released in 1992. Featuring a new version of "Love is in the Air," the film was a success throughout the world, and Young's single once again peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts, and was a minor hit in the UK.
In 2000 he played to his largest audience as a featured performer at the closing ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics.
2006 saw Young return to the studio at Flashpoint Music to record his first album of new material in many years In Too Deep, for which he reunited with Vanda as producer and principal songwriter.
Young appeared on the Countdown Spectacular 2 concert series in Australia between late August and early September 2007.
Young is currently working on the musical comedy "Van Park". A story that focuses on "a group of fellow music lovers have gathered, to live out their remaining years" in a caravan park. Young plays one of the co-owners of the park, "Akbar"
[edit] Community work
For many years, Young has supported children's charities. He participates in the NSW Variety Bash as a participant in one of the old cars and also to entertain along the way. He also supports the children's emergency transport service NETS through its 4WD4Kids fundraiser.
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] References
- The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop - Ian McFarlane - Allen & Unwin, Sydney - 1999
