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Young was a Canadian rock music group led by Danny Squire.They released a few singles and an album during the 1970s. They had success with "Goin' to the Country" which was a hit in both Canada and the United States. Their album also spent about 14 weeks in the charts. The group may have been working on a second album prior to their break up.

Background

Their group had a hit with "Goin' to the Country" in both Canada, and the United States where it made it to #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Two members of the group, Carl Watral and Leon Feigenbaum had been in the Canadian group, Natural Gas.

History

1971

That year, the group released the single, "Goin’ To the Country" bw "Grape Farm" on Ampex AC 1301. Produced by John Driscoll, the A side was composed by Bruce Gordon and the B side by Rocco Ferrill. The two songs were the first published by Skyline North, a new publishing company established by Ampex Music.

By May 1, 1971, the single had moved up from #80 to #74 in the RPM100 Chart. By May 29, 1971, the single was at its second week still holding the #37 spot, just behind "Garden of Ursh" by Karen Young.

In August that year, the band was pictured on the front cover of RPM Weekly. At that time the line up consisted of Roger Plomish who replaced the original vocalist Danny Squire (leader, lead singer, trumpet, organ, piano, pedal steel guitar), Mo Prieur (sax, flute, vocals), Mike Sloski (drums, percussion, vocals), Alex MacDougall (lead guitar, banjo, pedal steel guitar, vocals), Brian Kirkwood (bass, vocals, trumpet), John Redmond (keyboard, lead vocals), Paul Olympico (trumpet, flugel horn, vocals), and Danny Elliott (trombone and vocals).

Following on from the success of their previous single, "Goin' to the Country", there was expectation that the new single "The Rain Came Down" bw "We Got Time" would do well. It was given a 75% charting probability.

1972

In August, 1972, RPM Weekly wrote that the nine member band had had undertaken a successful tour through Ontario, and were preparing for a Western Canadian tour starting on the 18th of the following month. They were readying their next single for Ampex. At the time they were made up of former members from Truck, Natural Gas, Brass Union and the Tom Jones Las Vegas Review. Ampex's A&R director John Driscoll was hoping to release an album of the band to coincide with their tour.

Album

By early December their album Business had been released. It received a favorable review by RPM Weekly with the reviewer calling it a first rate production and commenting on the vocal strength having increased considerably since their last record. It was referred to as "Big Band Hard Rock" with good commercial appeal, with the best tracks being "Buffalo" and "America". The album entered the RPM100 album chart at #97 for the week of December 30, 1972. By January 20, at its third week, it was at #77. The following week it was still holding at #77. The album was recorded at #85 in the RPM Weekly March 3 issue. By March, 10 it was in still charting at #89.

Further activities

1973

By mid-February, the line up had changed. It now consisted of Roger Plomish (lead singer, keyboards, guitar), Bobby Washington (bass guitar and background vocals), Roger Dickin (lead guitar), Joe Bendzsa (drums), Joe Edmonds (trombone, euphonium, flute and background vocals), Mike Hunter (trombone, octa voice, French horn, background vocals and brass arrangements), Carl Waytral (aka Carl Watral) (trumpet, brass arrangements), Tony Mastrull (trumpet, fluegel horn, French horn, head arranger) and Danny Fogel (trumpet, brass arrangements). Bruce Ley who sang lead on the song "Buffalo" was no longer with the group. Tony Booth who both wrote and sang lead on "America" and sang on "Invitation" had also left the band.

By August, 1973 the group had come under the management of Jules Rabkin who also managed Robbie G. Griffith. The group's line up at the time consisted of Roger Plomish on lead guitar, keyboards and lead vocal; Jimmy Roberts on tenor sax and flute; Joe Edmonds on trombone, bass and vocals; Mike Hunter on trombone, bass and vocals; Leon Feigenbaum on bass; Joe Bendzsa on drums; Carl Watral on trumpet and flugel horn; Tony Mastrull on trumpet and flugel horn; Dennis Collier on trumpet; and Roger Dickin on lead guitar. An article in the September 1 issue of Billboard that the group was working on their second album with producer John Driscoll. They had recently appeared at the Granny's venue where Rabkin had arranged for several US booking agents to see their show. Also in that early period of September, the group were half-way through a six week engagement at the Marco Polo in Miami, playing to sell out crowds nearly every night. After that engagement finished they were to head off to Mexico and then to Toronto work on their album which John Dee Driscoll would be producing at the RCA studios.

Discography

Line ups

Line up as of August, 1971

• Alex MacDougall (lead guitar, banjo, pedal steel guitar, vocals)
• Danny Elliott (trombone and vocals)
• Brian Kirkwood (bass, vocals, trumpet)
• Paul Olympico (trumpet, flugel horn, vocals)
• Roger Plomish (leader, lead singer, trumpet, organ, piano, pedal steel guitar)
• Mo Prieur (sax, flute, vocals)
• John Redmond (keyboard, lead vocals)
• Mike Sloski (drums, percussion, vocals)

Line up on 1972 album

• Paul Booth (bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals)
• Jim Chivers (drums, percussion)
• Roger Dickin (guitar, backing vocals)
• Jaan Koel (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, flute)
• Dan Fogel (trumpet)
• Bruce Ley (keyboards, tambourine, backing vocals, lead vocals)
• Tony Mastrull (trumpet)
• Roger Polmish (lead vocals, guitar)
• Carl Watral (trumpet, flugelhorn)

Line up in early 1973

• Joe Bendzsa (drums)
• Roger Dickin (lead guitar)
• Joe Edmonds (trombone, euphonium, flute and background vocals)
• Danny Fogel (trumpet, brass arrangements)
• Mike Hunter (trombone, octa voice, French horn, background vocals and brass arrangements)
• Tony Mastrull (trumpet, fluegel horn, French horn, head arranger)
• Roger Plomish (lead singer, keyboards, guitar)
• Bobby Washington (bass guitar and background vocals)
• Carl Watral aka Cark Waytral (trumpet, brass arrangements)

Line up in August, 1973
under management of Jules Rabkin.

• Joe Bendzsa (drums)
• Dennis Collier (trumpet)
• Roger Dickin (lead guitar)
• Joe Edmonds (trombone, bass, vocals)
• Leon Feigenbaum (bass)
• Mike Hunter (trombone, bass, vocals)
• Tony Mastrull (trumpet, flugel horn)
• Roger Plomish (lead guitar, keyboards, lead vocal)
• Jimmy Roberts (tenor sax, flute)
• Carl Watral on (trumpet, flugel horn)

Further reading

• RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, Volume 19 No. 1 February 17, 1973 - Article: Young Big Business for Ampex, Pages 1 & 14

Later years

James Roberts aka Jimmy Roberts who was a member of Truck would play with artists such as David Benoit, R&B singer Derek Bordeaux, Rick Braun, The Eurythmics, Randy Jacobs, Etta James, Greg Karukas, Pianist Rob Mullins, Sade, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon. Later, with the help of his old friend William "Smitty" Smith, he became one of the stock session musicians in L. A. and became a sought after player. He also had released some solo recordings.

References

1. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 15 - Page 9 RPM100 SINGLES, May 29, 1971
2. The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Young
3. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 1 August 18, 1973 - Page 21 RABKIN TO GUIDE FUTURE OF YOUNG
4. The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Natural Gas
5. The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - YOUNG
6. 45Cat - Young Discography, Canada
7. RPM Weekly, Volume 12 No. 11 May 1, 1971 - Page 31 AMPEX MUSIC ESTABLISH OWN PUBLISHING HOUSE
8. Billboard, March 20, 1971 - Page 3 General News Ampex Sets Skyline North In Publishing Move
9. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 11 May 1, 1971 - Page 13 RPM100 SINGLES
10. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 15 - Page 9 RPM100 SINGLES, May 29, 1971
11. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 25 August 7, 1971 - Page 1 Canada's Young hitting for Ampex
12. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 25 August 7, 1971 - Page 2 Ampex Young group hitting with second deck
13. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 25 August 7, 1971 - Page 7 NEW MAPL RELEASES
14. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 26 August 12, 1972 - Page 4 YOUNG SETTING SCENE FOR NEW AMPEX DECK
15. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, December 2, 1972 Volume 18 No. 16 - Page 10 NEW ALBUMS
16. RPM Weekly '72 YEAR END WRAP-UP ISSUE, December 30, 1972 Volume 80 No. 20 - Page 9 GOOD BROTHERS (SANS JAMES GET IT TOGETHER)
17. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, January 20, 1973 Volume 18 No. 23 - Page 14 RPM100 ALBUMS January 20, 1973
18. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, Volume 18 No. 24 January 27th, 1973 - Pages 16 - 17 RPM100 ALBUMS
19. RPM The Programmer's WEEKLY, Volume 19 No. 3 March 3, 1973 - Page 17 RPM100 ALBUMS
20. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, Volume 19 No. 4 March 10 1973 - Page 16 - 17 RPM100 ALBUMS March 10, 1973
21. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 1 August 18, 1973 - Page 21 RABKIN TO GUIDE FUTURE OF YOUNG
22. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, Volume 19 No. 1 February 17, 1973 - Page 1 & 14 YOUNG BUSINESS FOR AMPEX
23. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 1 August 18, 1973 - Page 21 RABKIN TO GUIDE FUTURE OF YOUNG
24. Billboard, September 1, 1973 - Page 44 Canadian News, Rabkin Deal With Young
25. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 3 September 1, 1973 - Page 18 AMPEX' YOUNG IN MIAMI JACKSON S IN MONTREAL
26. The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Young
27. RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 25 August 7, 1971 - Page 2 Ampex Young group hitting with second deck
28. Discogs - Young (19) – Business
29. RPM The Programmers WEEKLY, Volume 19 No. 1 February 17, 1973 - Page 1 & 14 YOUNG BUSINESS FOR AMPEX
30. RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 1 August 18, 1973 - Page 21 RABKIN TO GUIDE FUTURE OF YOUNG
31. Jimmy Sax Man Roberts - About
32. Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Jimmy Roberts
33. Smoothjazz.de 0- Artists, The Roberts Brothers
34. Vanguard Audio Labs - JIMMY ROBERTS

Links

• Discogs: Young

• Canadian progressive rock groups
• Canadian jazz-rock groups