Before Young Talent Time, Johnny Young was a songwriter who rivaled the best of his era
Johnny Young has died at 79. He made a major impact on this country’s musical and television landscape.
Johnny Young, a multifaceted creative talent of the 1960s and 1970s, has passed away at the age of 79 from pancreatic cancer. Born in Kalamanda, Perth, John de Jong was of Dutch origin. As a pop singer, he gained early recognition from George Young and Stevie Wright of the Easybeats, who wrote him a hit single, Step Back. Barry Gibb taught Johnny Young how to write songs, and later, Young penned The Real Thing, which became a number one hit for Russell Morris.
Another of his notable works is Smiley, a song written about Normie Rowe's induction into the army to serve in Vietnam. Young also wrote several other chart-toppers, including The Star by Herman's Hermits and I Thank You for Lionel Rose. His work as a songwriter was often overshadowed by his other talents, including journalism, radio DJing, TV hosting, and television production.
However, his age-defying talent as a talent show host, Johnny Young Talent Time, left a lasting impact on Australian pop music.
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