Roy Young - The Best Of 50 Years (2023)

He's never had a hit, at least under his own name, but Roy Young played a crucial role in Europe's early rock scene, with a career that is still going strong to this day. As rock exploded into the mainstream in the late '50s, Young regularly appeared on British television, then established himself on the Hamburg club scene before joining one of Britain's biggest R&B bands, Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers. The singing pianist was swiftly dubbed the English Little Richard, a comparison that the flamboyant American star himself confirmed when he witnessed Young perform in the early '60s. The early recordings found within this two-CD compilation easily capture Young's powerhouse vocals and frenzied piano playing, with his exhilarating performances continuing throughout the decade. By the early '70s, however, rock had matured, but Young refused to put the genre's early exuberance to bed, as his fiery version of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" clearly illustrates. Still, he was able to change with the times -- check out his fabulously funky version of "Shufflin'" or his honky tonk-goes-Stax "Devil's Daughter" for proof of that. The latter number was one of Young's own compositions, but the artist is best known for his stellar covers, with his ferocious version of "Slow Down" and superbly soulful take of the Beatles' "She's a Woman" among his best. Both those numbers were recorded in the new millennium, with Young exhibiting every ounce of the energy and enthusiasm he first brought to rock a half century earlier. No wonder audiences still get up and roar their approval for one of Britain's most exciting and talented artists. © Dave Thompson