Composer, Director, Violinist (1900-1956)
Victor Young was a child prodigy who began his professional career as a concert violinist. In later years he would serve as a conductor, arranger, and as music director for such radio singers as Al Jolson and Smith Ballew. For years he led a successful band, Victor Young and His Orchestra, producing a number of hits and accompanying such greats as the Boswell Sisters and Judy Garland (including her recording of “Over the Rainbow”).
Young was posthumously awarded an Academy Award for the score of the 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days. Other Victor Young songs include:
“Sweet Sue, Just You” (1928) “Beautiful Love” (1931) “Ghost of a Chance” (1932) “Street of Dreams” (1932) “Love Letters” (1945) “Stella by Starlight” (1946) “My Foolish Heart” (1949) “When I Fall in Love” (1952).
Henry Mancini said of Young “All he had to do was sit down at the piano and the melodies fell out of his sleeves.”
-- Jeremy Wilson
Courtesy of JazzStandards.com
