About George Young
Lived 1946 – 2017 (aged 70). George Young was an Australian and British bassist, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, musician and composer.
George Redburn Young (6 November 1946 – 22 October 2017) was an Australian musician, songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the bands The Easybeats and Flash and the Pan, and was one-half of the songwriting and production duo Vanda & Young with his long-time musical collaborator Harry Vanda, with whom he co-wrote the international hits "Friday on My Mind" and "Love Is in the Air", the latter recorded by John Paul Young (who is unrelated).
Born in Glasgow, Young moved to Sydney, Australia with his family as a teenager, and became a naturalised citizen. He was also one of the producers of early work by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, formed by his younger brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Young (along with Vanda) was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1988 and The Easybeats were inducted in 2005.
Early years George Redburn Young was born 6 November 1946 in Glasgow, Scotland. Young's father, William Young (born 16 February 1911), and his family lived at 6 Skerryvore Road in the Cranhill district of Glasgow in Scotland. For secondary schooling, Young attended Chester Hill High School across the road from the migrant hostel until he was expelled in 1964 for having long hair. Malcolm Young, his younger brother, attended the same school for a time until the family moved to Burwood. George Young married Sandra Ramsey in London in 1969.
The Easybeats (1964–1969)
George Young started his music career in Sydney. He formed there a beat pop band, the Easybeats, in late 1964, himself playing rhythm guitar alongside Dick Diamonde (born Dingeman Vandersluys) on bass guitar, Gordon "Snowy" Fleet on drums (ex-Mojos), Harry Vanda (born Johannes Vandenberg) on lead guitar (ex-Starfighters, Starlighters) and Stevie Wright on lead vocals (ex-Chris Langdon and the Langdells). 2004 himself Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame MPEG Awards The Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild (MPEG Awards) Awards celebrate excellence in music production and engineering in Australia. They commenced in 2024.
(wins only)
Vanda & Young Lifetime Achievement Award In May 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in May 2001 conducted a survey of music industry personnel to determine, the "ten best and most significant Australian songs of the past 75 years."
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Important facts
People in George Young's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped George Young's
Frequently asked questions
Who was George Young?
Australian rock musician (1946–2017)
When was George Young born?
George Young was born on 6 November 1946 in Glasgow.
When did George Young die?
George Young died on 23 October 2017 in Sydney.
What was George Young's occupation?
George Young was a bassist, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, musician and composer.
What nationality was George Young?
George Young was Australian and British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: George Young (rock musician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). George Young. https://biography.guide/george-young-bassist/
MLA: "George Young." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/george-young-bassist/.
Chicago: "George Young." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/george-young-bassist/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-26 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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