Biography
Who is Paul Young?
Early life and career beginnings
Paul Young was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, in the United Kingdom. During his youth, he balanced his education at schools including the Queen Elizabeth School with working at the Vauxhall Motors factory, where he also played football. He developed an early interest in music, playing bass guitar in several local bands during his spare time.
His professional music career began as the lead singer for the group Kat Kool and the Kool Cats. Later, in the late 1970s, he joined the band Streetband. The group achieved moderate success with a novelty track titled Toast before disbanding in December 1979.
Success with Q-Tips
Following the end of Streetband, Paul and several former bandmates formed a new group called Q-Tips, which included a four-piece brass section. The band started rehearsing in late 1979 and performed their first concert in Harrow that November. Over the next two years, the group built a strong reputation through constant touring and live appearances at various venues across the UK.
Q-Tips gained attention from record labels for their professional live shows and eventually released an eponymous debut album in 1980. They appeared on several BBC television programs, including The Old Grey Whistle Test, and supported established acts like the Who and the J. Geils Band. Despite their active touring schedule and multiple singles, the group disbanded in early 1982 when Paul signed a solo recording contract with CBS.
Solo career and 1980s stardom
Paul launched his solo career with the debut album No Parlez, produced with Ian Kewley. While his first single did not chart well, his cover of the Marvin Gaye song Wherever I Lay My Hat reached the top of the UK Singles Chart in 1983. This success established him as a significant pop figure, leading to follow-up hits such as Come Back and Stay and a re-released version of Love of the Common People.
In 1984, he participated in the charity project Band Aid, singing the opening lines of Do They Know It's Christmas. The following year, he released his second album, The Secret of Association, which reached number one in the UK. His cover of Every Time You Go Away topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 and won Best British Video at the 1986 Brit Awards. He also received the Brit Award for Best British Male in 1985.
Later musical projects
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he continued to tour and collaborate with various artists. In 1987, he toured as the opening act for Genesis. He performed at major events, including the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988 and The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. His first greatest hits collection, From Time To Time, was released in 1991.
In 1993, he formed the band Los Pacaminos because he wanted to return to basics and look at the Tex-Mex sound. He continued releasing solo material, such as the 1997 album Paul Young and the 2016 album Good Thing, which featured vintage soul tracks. He also collaborated with the electronic dance act Chicane on the 2010 track Come Back.
Birthday and age
Paul Young was born on January 17, 1956, which makes Paul 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Paul shares the date with 61 other famous people.
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