[ PHOTO GALLERY OF VICKI YOUNG'S CAREER ]

VICKI (STEGALL) YOUNG

Vicki Young was born Wanda Cleo Stegall on June 26, 1925, in Vinson, Oklahoma, the first of four talented children born to Loda and Mintie Stegall. Descended from an early American family dating back to 1736, the Stegall family had a long history of birthing "Methodist preachers or musicians." In Vicki's case, her parents were musicians and had one of the first professionally performing family western style bands, "The Stegalls."

By the time she was four, little Wanda was singing and already playing the banjo, ukulele and drums. For seven years, the youngster and her family band could be heard live over station KASA (AM 1210) in Elk City, Oklahoma. The whole family played, explains niece, Casey Stark:

"Grandpa played pedal steel, my grandma played guitar, my dad [Don Stegall] played upright bass, aunt Wanda played banjo and sang, and aunt Beverly sang. Later, my aunt Wanda changed her name to Vicki Young for the stage."

In 1942, the Stegall Family moved to San Bernardino, California, where the band reorganized. Vicki decided to head out on her own in 1948. She joined the Joe Newman Trio, appeared in Los Angeles clubs and for a brief period was featured on Spade Cooley’s T.V. show. Young was discovered at The Flamingo in San Bernardino, and in 1953, at age 28, was signed was signed as an R&B artist by Capitol Records.

During her eight year career at Capitol Records, Young cut 56 sides, including such titles as "Honey Love," "Pink Shampoo," "Tweedle Dee," "Ricochet" and "Riot in Cell Block No. 9." Vicki Young made the best-selling pop charts twice, with "I Love You So Much" (b/w "Let Me Hear You Say It," Capitol 2478) which charted in June 1953, and her cover of The Drifters' R&B tune "Honey Love" (b/w a cover of The Robins' R&B tune "Riot In Cell Block No. 9," Capitol 2865) in October 1954.

After Capitol, Vicki was one of the first artists under the Brunswick label in the mid 50’s, along with the Lennon Sisters; her first release for Brunswick was "The Cheer Leader Flip" and "Pen and Paper Sweetheart."

Vicki Young also wrote songs, and "Let There Be You," penned with arranger/band leader Dave Cavanaugh, remained one of her personal favorites, written just two weeks after the tragic death of her first son, Gary Phillip Truckee (age 6) to polio. The heartwrenching lyrics were based on the first verse of the Bible and the song went on to be covered by The Five Keys (Capitol 3660) and remains in circulation today.

Young was married four times, her second husband being world renowned drummer and "Rock and Roll Hall of Famer" Hal Blaine. In a 2007 phone interview, Hal Blaine recalls their early years in San Bernardino, California:

"It was around 1951, I had started in a little band after moving from Chicago, and we were the regulars at a supper club in San Bernardino called The Magic Carpet, which was owned by Bill Bellman, a disc jockey and songwriter. Our piano player was Joe Newman, a German fellow from South America, and we had a violinist. I'd sing and play drums, and Vicki would sing, usually pop standards like Blue Moon.

"I like to joke that Vicki and I were married for '20 minutes.' It happened at the hospital; I was there, with her mom and dad, because her boy Gary had died from polio, this was just before the vaccine came out. The doctor mistook me for the boy's father and asked, as they sometimes do, if we had considered having another child right away.

"We had a gig in Vegas we were headed to, so I asked Vicki, why not, why not get married? It only lasted a short time though, and we got divorced.

"But it was through Vicki's connections at Capitol that I began getting work there; I met her producers, guys like Ken Nelson and Dave Cavanaugh. They had their regular session drummers, but those guys didn't want to play the new rock and roll music - maybe they thought it was beneath them. I said, 'Hell, I'll play rock and roll, I'll play anything.' You know, it was just blues, just a backbeat. But I never played on any of Vicki's recordings, no reason why that I can think of though."

Vicki had three sons, two by her first husband and one by her third. Tragically, she lost a second son, Terrence Allen Sheehan, at Christmas time when he was struck by a car. Consumed by grief, Ms. Young left the music business although she retained her love of music.

During her career, Young toured extensively, performed regularly for the military and was well known for her tireless enthusiasm, vivacious personality and was regarded as one of the finest entertainers of her time. She and her family leave a tremendous musical legacy behind, which continues with her niece, singer/songwriter Casey (Stegall) Stark, of Laguna Niguel, California, and distant cousin, award-winning producer/singer-songwriter Keith Stegall, of Nashville, Tennessee.

In fact, Casey Stark is planning on re-cutting her aunt's composition, "Let There Be You," in Nashville soon.

"That song has always touched my heart, and there is quite a story behind it, and behind what happened to my Aunt's career."

Vicki Young offered this advice to those interested in show business: "Love it more than anything; be willing to give and take; and gain all the experience you can."

Vicki Young passed away peacefully in La Mirada, California on January 5, 2007. She is survived by her son, Sean Timothy Sheehan; her sisters, Karen Sue Hughes and Beverly Ann Grondono; four grandchildren, and her nieces and nephews. Services for Ms. Vicki Young were held January 12th at Pomona Valley Memorial Park.

--- from original obituary by niece, Casey Stegall (2007)

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