Reggie Young

(1936-2019)

It is one of life’s great blessings to have known, albeit briefly, the wonderful person Reggie Young. You can read about his accomplishments – they were many and significant, particularly to those he helped become stars and chart-toppers – wherever you get your music news. What stood out to me is how humble, considerate and thoughtful he was in person. At a small CD release party for his first CD under his own name, Forever Young, in his home town of Leipers Fork, TN, many of his longtime cohorts and friends paid tribute to a person they respected not just for his unusual musical abilities, but also for the friend they had come to know well and love.

Reggie will be missed by many as one who lived his life as it should be lived, without ego and bluster, with a focused commitment to the musical task at hand and also to respecting and helping those he came to know.

Our condolences go out to Reggie’s family. His warmth and spirit continue to guide us.

Neal Weiss, president

Whaling City Sound

left to right: Tom Evered, Neal Weiss, Jenny Young, Reggie Young

photo credit Ginny Shea, July 18, 2016, Nashville 

“Forever Young” (WCS094) available on ArkivJazz

Sad to report the passing of legendary session guitarist and Whaling City artist Reggie Young. He was one of the most recorded guitarists in the sixties, seventies and eighties playing on numerous legendary hits by Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield and more.

Young was a member of the country supergroup The Highwaymen w/ Kris Kristofferson, WillieNelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. He was also a founding member of the Bill Black Combo. In 1964, The Beatles requested the Combo open for them during their first U.S. tour and invited the group over to England for another month-long tour.

“The story of Reggie Young’s career is, in many ways, a miniature version of the story of Southern soul music.” – AllMusic

A compilation of his famous recordings “Session Guitar Star” is due out next week on Ace Records.