Music Makers Encyclopedia: Y

Click on a letter to choose an act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts, and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.

Jimmy Yancey

Song(s):
Midnight Stomp (1954)

Frank Yankovic & His Yanks

Song(s):
Just Because (1948)

Weird Al Yankovic

Song(s):
My Bologna (parody of the Knack’s "My Sharona") (1983)
Eat It (Parody of Michael Jackson’s "Beat It") (1984)

Zal Yankovsky

Rock guitarist born 12/19/1944 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Died 12/13/2002. With Lovin’ Spoonful.

The Yardbirds

Legendary rock group formed at Kingston Art School in Surrey, England. Launched three of the most acclaimed guitarists in history. Active: 1963-68 Members: Jeff Beck (g: 65-66), Eric Clapton (g/v: 63-65), Chris Dreja (g/b: 63-68, 03), Jim McCarty (d: 63-68, 03), Jimmy Page (g: 66-68), Keith Relf (v/harmonica: 63-68), Paul Samwell-Smith (b/k: 63-66), Anthony "Top" Topham (g: 63). Dreja, Smith, and McCarty also formed the group Box of Frogs.

Links: DMDB profile page - official site - Facebook

Song(s):
Eric Clapton et al: Top 100 Songs
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (1964)
A Certain Girl (1964)
I’m a Man (1965)
For Your Love (1965)
Heart Full of Soul (1965)
I Wish You Would (1965)
Shapes of Things (1966)
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (1966)

Album(s):
Eric Clapton et al: Studio Albums Ranked
Five Live Yardbirds (live, 1964)
For Your Love (1965)
Having a Rave Up (1965)
Roger the Engineer (aka 'Over Under Sideways Down' and 'The Yardbirds') (1966)
Little Games (1967)
Birdland (2003)

Adam "MCA" Yauch

Rap singer and bassist born 8/5/1964 in Brooklyn, NY. Died 5/4/2012. With Beastie Boys.

David Yazbeck

Album(s):
The Band's Visit (musical: 2016)

Yazoo

Song(s):
Don't Go (1982)
Situation (1982)

Album(s):
Upstair at Eric's (1982)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Indie-rock band formed in New York City in 2000. Karen O (vocals, piano), Nick Zinner (guitar, keyboards), Brian Chase (drums).

Song(s):
Maps (2003)

Album(s):
Fever to Tell (2003)

Years & Years

Song(s):
King (2015)

Trisha Yearwood

Country singer born Patricia Lynn Yearwood on 9/19/1964 in Monticello, GA. Married country singer Garth Brooks.

Song(s):
She's in Love with the Boy (1991)
XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl) (1994)
Thinkin’ About You (1995)
Believe Me Baby (I Lied) (1996)
How Do I Live (1997)
A Perfect Love (1998)

Jack Yellen

Yello

Song(s):
Oh Yeah (1985)

Yes

DMDB profile page.

DMDB pocast: The Best of Yes.

Progressive rock group formed in London in 1968. Jon Anderson (v: 68-80, 83-88, 90-04), Peter Banks (g: 68-70), Bill Bruford (d: 68-72, 90-92), Benoit David (v: 08-12), Jon Davison (v: 12-), Geoff Downes (k: 80-81, 11-), Trevor Horn (v: 80-81), Steve Howe (g: 70-81, 90-92, 95-), Tony Kaye (k: 68-71, 82-94), Igor Khoroshev (k: 97-00), Patrick Moraz (k: 74-76), Trevor Rabin (v/g/k: 82-94), Billy Sherwood (b/k/g: 97-00, 15-), Chris Squire (b: 68-15), Oliver Wakeman (k: 08-11), Rick Wakeman (k: 71-74, 76-80, 90-92, 95-96, 02-04), Alan White (d: 72-22). Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, & Howe also recorded together from 1988-92, but without rights to the Yes name. Downes and Horn were in the Buggles together and Downes and Howe formed Asia in 1982.

Song(s):
Top 100 Songs
I’ve Seen All Good People (1971)
Roundabout (1972)
And You and I (1972)
Owner of a Lonely Heart (1983)
Leave It (1983)
Lift Me Up (1991)

Album(s):
Studio Albums Ranked
Yes (1969)
Time and a Word (1970)
The Yes Album (1971)
Fragile (1971)
Close to the Edge (1972)
Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973)
Relayer (1974)
Going for the One (1977)
Classic Yes (compilation: 1971-77, released 1981)
Tormato (1978)
Drama (1980)
90125 (1983)
Big Generator (1987)
Yes Story (compilation: 1969-87, released 1992)
Highlights: The Very Best of (compilation: 1969-87, released 1993)
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (1989)
Union (1991)
Yes Years (box set: 1969-91, released 1991)
Talk (1994)
Keys to Ascension/Keys to Ascension 2 (1996/1997)
Open Your Eyes (1997)
The Ladder (1999)
Magnification (2001)
Fly from Here (2011)
In a Word (box set: 1969-2001, released 2002)
The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversray Collection (compilation: 1969-2003, released 2003)
Heaven & Earth (2014)
The Quest (2021)

The DMDB Blog:
The Steve Howe Show (7/15/09)

Maury Yeston

Album(s):
Nine (musical: 1982)
Titanic: A New Musical (musical: 1997)

YG

Song(s):
My Nigga (aka "My Hitta") (with Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan, 2013)

Ylvis

Song(s):
The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) (2013)

YNW Melly

Song(s):
Murder on My Mind (2017)

Dwight Yoakam

Country singer born Dwight David Yoakam on 10/23/1956 in Pikeville, KY.

Song(s):
Guitars, Cadillacs (1986)
Streets of Bakersfield (with Buck Owens, 1988)
I Sang Dixie (1988)

Album(s):
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (1986)
Just Lookin’ for a Hit (1989)

Yo La Tengo

Album(s):
I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One (1997)

Thom Yorke

Experimental rock singer born Thomas Edward Yorke on 10/7/1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. With Radiohead (1985-), Atoms for Peace (2009-13), and The Smile (2021-). Has also recorded solo (2006, 2014, 2019).

Pete Yorn

Song(s):
Life on a Chain (2001)

Yothu Yindi

Song(s):
Treaty (1991)

You Am I

Song(s):
Berlin Chair (1993)

Vincent Youmans

Angus Young

Rock guitarist, songwriter, and founder of AC/DC. Born 3/31/1955 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Austin Young

Song(s):
The Birth of the Blues (1926) – see Paul Whiteman
Among My Souvenirs (1928) – see Paul Whiteman
My Heart Stood Still (1928) – see Paul Whiteman

Brett Young

Song(s):
In Case You Didn’t Know (2017)

Earl Young

Eve Young

Song(s):
Silver Dollar (Roll Roll Roll) (1950)

Faron Young

Country singer born 2/25/1932 in Shreveport, LA. Died 12/10/1996.

Song(s):
Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young (1955)
Alone with You (1958)
Country Girl (1959)
Hello Walls (1961)
It’s Four in the Morning (1971)

Jimmy Young

Song(s):
Too Young (1951)

Joe Young

John Paul Young

Song(s):
Love Is in the Air (1978)

Kathy Young & the Innocents

Song(s):
A Thousand Stars (1960)

Lester Young

Jazz saxophonist and clarinetist born Lester Willis Young on 8/27/1909 in Woodville, Mississippi. Died 3/15/1959.

Song(s):
Just You, Just Me (1944)

Malcolm Young

Rock guitarist born 1/6/1953 in Glasgow, Scotland. Died 11/18/2017. With AC/DC.

Neil Young

DMDB profile page.

Rock singer/songwriter and guitarist born Neil Percival Young on 11/12/1945 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With The Classics (62), The Squires (63-65), The Mynah Birds (65), Buffalo Springfield (66-68), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1969-71, 1988, 1999), and Stills-Young Band (76). Has worked predominantly as a solo artist since 1969.

Song(s):
Crosby Stills Nash Young: Top 100 Songs
Down by the River (1969)
Cinnamon Girl (1969)
Cowgirl in the Sand (1969)
Helpless (1970) – see Crosby, Stills & Nash
Ohio (1970) – see Crosby, Stills & Nash
Southern Man (1970)
After the Gold Rush (1970)
Heart of Gold (1972)
Old Man (1972)
The Needle and the Damage Done (1972)
Are You Ready for the Country? (1972)
A Man Needs a Maid (1972)
Tonight’s the Night (1973)
Borrowed Tune (1973)
Revolution Blues (1974)
On the Beach (1974)
Ambulance Blues (1974)
Cortez the Killer (1975) Like a Hurricane (1977)
My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (1979)
Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) (1979)
Powderfinger (1979)
Southern Pacific (1981)
Shots (1981)
Sample and Hold (1982)
When Your Lonely Heart Breaks (1987)
This Note's for You (1989)
Rockin’ in the Free World (1989)
Harvest Moon (1992)
Sleeps with Angels (1994)
Philadelphia (1994)
Angry World (2010)

Album(s):
Neil Young: Top 10 Albums
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (with Crazy Horse, 1969)
After the Gold Rush (1970)
Déjà Vu (1970) - see Crosby, Stills & Nash
4 Way Street (live, 1971) – see Crosby, Stills & Nash
Harvest (1972)
Tonight's the Night (recorded 1973, released 1975)
On the Beach (1974)
Zuma (1975)
Decade (compilation: 1969-76, released 1977)
Rust Never Sleeps (with Crazy Horse, 1979)
Live Rust (live, 1979)
Freedom (1989)
Harvest Moon (1992)
Greendale (2003)

Paul Young

Song(s):
Everytime You Go Away (1985)

Album(s):
No Parlez (1983)

Rida Johnson Young

Victor Young

Song(s):
Out of Nowhere (1931) – see Bing Crosby
Just One More Chance (1931) – see Bing Crosby
She’s a Latin from Manhattan (with Hal Burke & the Tune Twisters, 1935)
I’ll Buy That Dream (1945) – see Dick Haymes
It Might As Well Be Spring (1945) – see Dick Haymes
Symphony (1946) – see Bing Crosby
The High and the Mighty (1954)

Will Young

Song(s):
Anything Is Possible/Evergreen (2002)
Leave Right Now (2003)
Your Game (2004)

Young Artists for Haiti

Song(s):
Wavin' Flag (2010)

The Youngbloods

Song(s):
Get Together (1967)

Young Fathers

Album(s):
Dead (2014)

Young M.C.

Song(s):
Bust a Move (1989)

Young Money

Song(s):
Every Girl (2009)

The (Young) Rascals

Song(s):
I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (1965)
Good Lovin’ (1966)
Groovin’ (1967)
A Girl Like You (1967)
How Can I Be Sure (1967)
I’ve Been Lonely Too Long (1967)
A Beautiful Morning (1968)
People Got to Be Free (1968)

Young Thug

Song(s):
Havana (2017) – see Camila Cabello
Franchise (2020) – see Travis Scott

Youth Group

Song(s):
Forever Young (2005)

David Yow

Member of The Jesus Lizard.

Yung Joc

Song(s):
It’s Goin’ Down (with Nitti, 2006)

Click on a letter to choose a recording act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts, and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.