Australian singer-songwriter, producer and television host Johnny Young has died aged 79 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
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Young became a household name in Australia as the creator, host and producer of the popular television variety program Young Talent Time. The show ran from 1971 to 1988 and helped launch the careers of performers including Tina Arena, Debra Byrne and Dannii Minogue.
Young’s family confirmed his death on Friday in a statement and described him as the creator, host and producer of the “much loved” program. The family also highlighted his songwriting and production work, including his contributions to the songs “The Real Thing” and “Smiley.”
“The family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time. Details of a memorial service will be announced soon,” they said.
Johnny Young Is Known For Many Career Milestones
Young was born Johnny Benjamin Arthur de Jong in the Netherlands in 1947. His family moved to Perth, Australia, during the 1950s. He entered entertainment as a disc jockey after leaving school and later became a teenage pop star.
At 18, Young hosted the Perth television program Club Seventeen. He also performed with Johnny Young & the Strangers and Johnny Young & Kompany.
Young scored major Australian hits during the 1960s. His recording of “Step Back” became one of the decade’s biggest-selling Australian singles, while his cover of the Beatles’ “All My Loving” also became a hit.
He later established himself as a successful songwriter. Young wrote “The Real Thing,” which Russell Morris recorded and turned into a major Australian hit. Young also wrote “The Girl That I Love” and “Part Three into Paper Walls” with Morris. The latter reached No 1 on the Australian charts.
Young began hosting Young Talent Time in 1971 after drawing inspiration from The Mickey Mouse Club. The program became a major television success and gave young performers a national platform. Young continued working in radio after the program ended.
The Australian Recording Industry Association inducted Young into its Hall of Fame in 2010. Arena, who appeared on Young Talent Time, inducted him.