Paul Young

This article is about the solo singer. For the singer with Sad Café and Mike + The Mechanics, see Paul Young (singer, born 1947). For other people named Paul Young, see Paul Young (disambiguation).

Paul Young
Young in 2017
Born
Paul Antony Young

(1956-01-17) 17 January 1956 (age 68)
Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1978–present
Spouses
  • Stacey Smith
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1987; died 2018)​
  • Lorna Young
    ​
    (m. 2024)​
Children3
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
LabelsColumbia Records
MCA Records
Spectra Records
Member ofLos Pacaminos
Formerly of
Websitewww.paul-young.com Edit this at Wikidata

Paul Antony Young[4][5] (born 17 January 1956)[6] is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. His hit singles include "Love of the Common People", "Wherever I Lay My Hat", "Come Back and Stay", "Every Time You Go Away" and "Everything Must Change", all reaching the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.[7] Released in 1983, his debut album, No Parlez, was the first of three UK number-one albums.[7]

Young's smooth yet soulful voice belongs to a genre known as "blue-eyed soul". He won a Brit Award for Best British Male in 1985, and his hit "Every Time You Go Away" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best British Video at the 1986 Brit Awards. Performing on the 1984 charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which included singing the opening lines, Young played Live Aid held at Wembley Stadium, London in July 1985. He sang the Crowded House track "Don't Dream It's Over" at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988. In 1992, he sang "Radio Ga Ga" with the surviving members of Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. Since the mid-1990s, Young has performed with the band Los Pacaminos.

  1. ^ Joel Whitburn (2007). The Billboard Albums: Includes Every Album That Made the Billboard 200 Chart. Record Research Incorporated. p. 1171. ISBN 978-0-8982-0166-6. Pop-rock singer
  2. ^ "New Wave (Top Artists) (4/4)". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Paul Young". mtv.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Home". Paul-young.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ^ Paul Young (Paul Young) on Myspace. MySpace.com. Retrieved 20 January 2012
  6. ^ Huey, Steve. "Paul Young". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  7. ^ a b Paul Young: Official Charts Five number one albums and number one single (retrieved 19 August 2007)