James Vincent Young (born November 14, 1949) is an American musician who is best known as one of the guitarists in the American rock band Styx, having served as the only continuous original member of the band. In 1970, Young joined the band TW4 while a student at Illinois Institute of Technology, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. That band later became the first incarnation of Styx. After Styx's initial breakup in 1984, Young collaborated with Jan Hammer on the album City Slicker (1985). Since reforming in 1995, Young is still a member of Styx.

Personal life

Young went to Calumet High School. His father, who he described as "very conservative", could play piano by ear. His idols were Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, and Albert King. Young's first band, the Catalinas, won a "Best Teens In America" contest, came in third place at a Chicago talent competition, and toured Europe in 1966. On November 10, 2022, Young's wife of more than fifty years, Susan Godsted, died. Godsted had been partially paralyzed on the right side of her body as a result of a stroke.

Discography

Styx

Solo studio albums

As guest