TALENT

Lionel Young Biography

Born in Rochester, New York, Lionel Young began taking violin lessons at the age of six with Anastasia Jempelis at the Eastman School of Music. His family moved to Pittsburgh where he studied violin with Herbert Greenburgh, who was the associate concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony then and is the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony now. He won a music scholarship to the University of Indiana where he studied with Josef Gingold. He came back to Pittsburgh and went to Carnegie-Mellon University to study violin with Fritz Seigal, the Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony and served as Concertmaster at University orchestra for two years, one of which was with Keith Lochhart who is now the conductor & music director of the Boston Pops. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Opera-Ballet Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra which commissioned him to play bluegrass and blues for their summer festival and on a tour of Japan, Taiwan, and Korea during the 1988 Summer Olympic Music Festival.

Throughout his career, Mr. Young has won numerous awards including: The Young Artist Award (Pittsburgh Symphony); The Concerto Contest (Carnegie-Mellon); The Passamenic Award (Branchwood String Quartet); and the award for the Best Blues Band in Westword's Best of Denver in 1989 for his band The Last Fair Deal. In 1992 he won a position with The Denver Chamber Orchestra and premiered a solo piece by William Hill with them in 1994. Also, he won another award for Best Blues Band in Westword's Best of Denver in 1996 and 1997 for his current band, The Lionel Young Band.

The Lionel Young Band has released its first CD, "As the Sun Goes Down" in December 1997. The release has received excellent reviews regionally and nationally.

Among others he's played in concerts with Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Paige/Robert Plant, Doc Severenson, Linda Ronstadt, Living Color, Billy Taylor, Woodie Herman, Stanley Turrentine, Homesick James, Homer Brown, Hamlet Bluiett, Chief Bae, and Johnny Long.

Westword, "Best of Denver 1998" - Best Blues Recording
Volume 21Number 43June 25-July 1, 1998
BEST BLUES RECORDING
As the Sun Goes DownLionel Young BandFans of the driven, classically trained Young, who has created a distinctive brand of blues on the electric violin, waited a long time for this striking collection. The recording, which combines Young originals with interpretations of blues classics by Willie Dixon, Leadbelly and Stevie Ray Vaughan, features the strength and passion of Young's playing, as well as his smooth vocals and unique translations. The songs, which include his award-winning composition " Brown Cloud Over Denver" and "Hey, O.J.," a controversial little gem, alternately stir up social concerns and soothe the weary soul. It's prime. It's fun. It's Lionel Young.

"One of the  "sleeper hits" of this cruise is the Lionel Young Band, and last
night's  Mardi Gras party in the Ocean Bar showed why Lionel won the
International  Blues Challenge (IBC) solo award in 2007. If you're not
familiar with  Lionel, you're missing out. A classically trained violinist,
he's turned  the corner into a quirky brand of Blues. Nearly everyone who's
seen him  this week says something along the lines of, "I've never seen
anyone play  violin and make it sound like a guitar," or "I've never... he's
playing  the... man, that's good!" Thursday night's Mardi Gras party was  no
exception, with the Lionel Young Band expanding to embrace a New  Orleans
vibe that packed the dance floor."

October, 2009, from a  review during the Last Day of the Legendary Rhythm &
Blues  Cruise

Sample Song List

Chuck Berry- Johnny B Goode
Chuck Berry- Rock & Roll Music
Chuck Berry- Wee Wee Hours
James Brown- Night Train
James Brown- Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
James Brown- Got You (I Feel Good)
James Brown- Cold Sweat
James Brown- I Got The Feelin’
James Brown- Lickin’ Stick
James Brown- Give It Up Or Turn Me Loose
James Brown- Sex Machine
James Brown- Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing
James Brown- The Payback
James Brown- Papa Don’t Take Mo Mess
Wilson Pickett- Mustang Sally
Wilson Pickett- Midnight Hour
Professor Longhair- Rockin’ Pneumonia
Professor Longhair- Big Chief
Professor Longhair- Hey Little Girl
Professor Longhair- Hey Now Baby
Professor Longhair- Walk My Blues Away
Dr. John- Iko Iko
Jimi Hendrix- Hey Joe
Jimi Hendrix- Fire
Jimi Hendrix- Red House
Jimi Hendrix- Manic Depression
Jimi Hendrix- Little Wing
Jimi Hendrix- Castles Made of Sand
Jimi Hendrix- Come On
Jimi Hendrix- Voodo Child
Muddy Waters- Gypsy Woman
Muddy Waters- Rollin Stone
Muddy Waters- Hoochi Coochi Man
Muddy Waters- I Just Want to Make Love to You
Muddy Waters- I Want to Get Close to You
Muddy Waters- I Feel Like Fallin’ Right Down
Muddy Waters- You Shook Me All Night Long
Sonny Boy Williamson- Good Mornin’ Little School Girl
Sonny Boy Williamson- Sloppy Drunk
Sonny Boy Williamson- One Way Out
Sonny Boy Williamson- Mighty Long Time
Sonny Boy Williamson- We Better Stop Right Now
Stevie Ray Vaughn- Pride and Joy
Stevie Ray Vaughn- Crying
Stevie Ray Vaughn- Look At Little Sister
Stevie Ray Vaughn- I Ain’t Givin Up On Love
Stevie Ray Vaughn- Let Me Love You Baby
Ray Charles- What I Say
Ray Charles- I Got A Woman
Stevie Wonder- Superstition
Stevie Wonder- Higher Ground
Stevie Wonder- I Wish
T-Bone Walker- Stormy Monday
T-Bone Walker- Stroolin’ with the Bone
The Neville Brothers- Hey Pocky Way
The Neville Brothers- Voodoo Woman
B.B. King- Rock Me Baby
B.B. King- Medley
Lightnin’ Hopkins- The Footrace is On
Lightnin’ Hopkins- Trouble In Mind
Memphis Slim- Things I used to Do
Howlin’ Wolf- Evil
Howlin’ Wolf- You’ll Be Mine
Howlin’ Wolf- Back Door Man
Howlin’ Wolf- Howlin For My Darling
Howlin’ Wolf- Shake it Baby
Leadbelly- Defense Blues
Leadbelly- C.C Rider
Leadbelly- John Henrey
Leadbelly- Gallow Pole
Leadbelly- How Long
Miles Davis- All Blues
Miles Davis- Freddy Freeloader
Miles Davis- Jean Pierre
Count Bassie- Every Day I Have The Blues
John Lee Hooker- Boogie Chillen
John Lee Hooker- She’s Long She’s Tall
John Lee Hooker- Boom Boom Boom Boom
Elmore James- Shake Your Money Maker
Elmore James- The Skye Is Cryin’
Maceo Parker- Shake Everything You Got
Taj Mahal- Big Legged Woman Comin’ Back In Style Again
Red Peters- Hows Your Whole
Red Peters- Family
Ohio Players- Fire
Led Zepplin- Killin’ Floor
Led Zepplin- Heart Breaker
Robert Johnson- Stop Breakin Down
Robert Johnson- Crossroads
Robert Johnson- Preachin’ Blues
Robert Johnson- Kind Hearted Woman
Robert Johnson- Walkin’ Blues
Robert Johnson- Sweet Home Chicago
Peter Green- Show Biz
Peter Green- Black Magic Woman
Rollin’ Stones- Brown Sugar
Rollin’ Stones- Honky Tonk Woman
Sly Stone- Dance To The Music
Sly Stone- We Want To Take You Higher
Johnny Winter- Mojo Boogie
Johnny Winter- Third Degee
Blind Willie Johnson- Jesus’ Gonna Make Up My Dyin’ Bed
Blind Willie Johnson- Nobodys Fault But Mine
Mississippi Fred McDowell- Wash My Trouble Down
Mississippi Fred McDowell- You’ve Got To Move
Buffalo Springfield- For What It’s Worth
W.C. Handy- St. Louis Blues
Frank Sinatra- The Way You Look Tonight
Bill Withers- Use Me Up