On January 1, 2019, the world lost one of its most underrated singer-songwriters of the 2000s, as well as one of the most formidable environmentalists and admirable philanthropists of the era. Pegi Young was known by many for being married to folk musician Neil Young from 1978 to 2014, but she was so much more.
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Throughout her career, she was involved in music and the arts. Young released a number of singer-songwriter records from 2007 to 2016. She was involved in environmentalism and went as far as to found an educational program for disabled children when there were none available to her own child. She was an icon, and she deserves to be remembered.
Remembering the Legacy of Pegi Young
Margaret Mary “Pegi Young (née Morton) was born on December 1, 1952, in San Mateo, California. She made her debut as a vocalist in 1983 as part of The Pinkettes, the backing vocalists for Neil Young’s Shocking Pinks tour.
In the mid-1980s, Young founded the Bridge School, a program designed to help children with physical and speech impairments. The inspiration to create the school came from her own experience with her son Ben. He was born with cerebral palsy. His condition made speech and movement difficult. Young (with then-husband Neil) struggled to find an educational institution that was suitable for their son’s needs. So, they created one themselves.
Young continued to raise awareness of her school through benefit concerts through the 2010s. Bands like Mazzy Star, Metallica, and other big-name musicians were involved. Young was the school’s executive director for seven years and was the president of the board of directors until her passing. She was also on the board of directors of the Artistic Realization Technologies organization, among other organizations.
In 1994, Young appeared on national television for the first time at the Academy Awards, where she sang backup on her then-husband’s song “Philadelphia”. The track was nominated for an award.
In 2007, Young finally launched her solo career as a singer-songwriter. Her debut album was a self-titled effort, recorded and produced at her home. In the 2010s, Young formed the band The Survivors, made up of musicians Rick Rosas, Spooner Oldham, Phil Jones, and Kelvin Holly. They released three albums before Young passed.
In the 2000s, Young also performed at and even hosted Farm Aid well into 2012. She was also on the board of directors of the Rainforest Connection, an organization involved in ending deforestation.
Pegi Young passed away on this very day in 2019, shortly after the new year. She was 66 years old.
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
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