Neil Young

Neil Percival Young is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter and musician born on November 12, 1945, in Toronto, Ontario. He is the son of journalist and author Scott Young and Edna Blow Ragland "Rassy" Young. During his youth, Young lived in various Canadian communities, including Omemee and Winnipeg, as well as briefly attending school in Florida. In 1951, he contracted polio, which left him partially paralyzed on his left side. He developed an early interest in popular music, listening to rock 'n roll, country, R&B, and doo-wop, and learned to play musical instruments including the ukulele.

Young began his musical career in Winnipeg during the 1960s. After dropping out of high school to pursue music, he formed his first band, the Jades, and later led the Squires, who scored a local hit with "The Sultan." He subsequently performed in folk clubs across Winnipeg, writing early folk songs like "Sugar Mountain," and toured Canada as a solo artist. In 1966, while in Toronto, Young joined the Rick James-fronted group Mynah Birds, which secured a deal with Motown Records. Following the band's dissolution, Young relocated to Los Angeles with bass player Bruce Palmer.

In Los Angeles, Young co-founded the folk rock band Buffalo Springfield alongside Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin. The group released albums including Buffalo Springfield and Buffalo Springfield Again before disbanding in 1968. Young then launched a solo career with Reprise Records, releasing his self-titled debut album in 1969. He subsequently formed a long-running backing partnership with the band Crazy Horse, featuring Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot, and Ralph Molina, recording the critically acclaimed 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Shortly after launching his solo career, Young joined Crosby, Stills & Nash as a full member, forming Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The quartet performed at the Woodstock Festival and recorded the chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu. Young continued his solo work, achieving a major commercial breakthrough with his 1970 album After the Gold Rush. His solo material and recordings with Crazy Horse, such as Harvest, On the Beach, and Rust Never Sleeps, became prominent works in his catalog, featuring his signature high tenor singing voice, piano, harmonica, and deeply personal lyrics.

Known for his distorted electric guitar playing with Crazy Horse, Young earned the nickname "Godfather of Grunge," which led to his 1995 collaboration album Mirror Ball with Pearl Jam. Beyond music, Young has directed and co-directed films under the pseudonym "Bernard Shakey," including Journey Through the Past, Rust Never Sleeps, Human Highway, Greendale, CSNY/Déjà Vu, and Harvest Time. He also contributed to the soundtracks for the films Philadelphia and Dead Man. More recently, he has performed backed by the group Promise of the Real.

Young has received multiple Grammy and Juno Awards throughout his career. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first in 1995 as a solo artist and again in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. His honors also include being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010 and receiving the Order of Manitoba in 2006. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him on its list of the 100 greatest musical artists and placed him No. 30 on its 2023 list of the "250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," while 21 of his albums and singles have been certified gold or platinum in the U.S.