By Penny Bancroft
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Neil Percival Young OC OM (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining the folk-rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the beginning of his solo career, often with backing by the band Crazy Horse, he has released critically acclaimed albums such as Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969), After the Gold Rush (1970), Harvest (1972), On the Beach (1974), and Rust Never Sleeps (1979). He was also a part-time member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with whom he recorded the chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu.
Young’s guitar work, deeply personal lyrics and signature high tenor singing voice define his long career. He also plays piano and harmonica on many albums, which frequently combine folk, rock, country and other musical genres. His often distorted electric guitar playing, especially with Crazy Horse, earned him the nickname “Godfather of Grunge“ and led to his 1995 album Mirror Ball with Pearl Jam. More recently he has been backed by Promise of the Real.
Young directed (or co-directed) films using the pseudonym “Bernard Shakey”, including Journey Through the Past (1973), Rust Never Sleeps (1979), Human Highway (1982), Greendale (2003), CSNY/Déjà Vu (2008), and Harvest Time (2022). He also contributed to the soundtracks of the films Philadelphia (1993) and Dead Man (1995).
Young has received several Grammy and Juno Awards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him twice: in 1995 as a solo artist and in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. In 2023, Rolling Stone named Young No. 30 on their list of 250 greatest guitarists of all time. Young is also on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest musical artists, and 21 of his albums and singles have been certified gold or platinum in the U.S. Young was awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2006 and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2009.
TODAY’S ALMANAC
Question of the Day
Advice of the Day
Home Hint of the Day
Word of the Day
Puzzle of the Day
Born
- Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (poet) –
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton (reformer) –
- Auguste Rodin (sculptor) –
- Harry Andrew Blackmun (lawyer) –
- Joseph Coors (brewer) –
- Kim Hunter (actress) –
- Grace Kelly (actress and later known as Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco) –
- Neil Young (musician) –
- Megan Mullally (actress) –
- Nadia Comaneci (gymnast) –
- Ryan Gosling (actor) –
- Anne Hathaway (actress) –
Died
- Eve Arden (actress) –
- Bill Dickey (baseball player) –
- Billy Guy (singer) –
- Jonathan Brandis (actor) –
- Ira Levin (author) –
Events
- San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened–
- Ellis Island federal immigration station closed in N.Y./N.J.–
- Largest iceberg on record (208 miles long, 60 miles wide) discovered by U.S.S. Glacier–
- First episode of Absolutely Fabulous aired–
- Voters OK‘d creation of Nunavut territory–
Weather
- A heavy snowstorm hit all of New England–
COURTESY www.almanac.com
