Vicki Young

American popular singer during the 1950's.

Born June 26, 1925, in Vinson, Oklahoma, USA.
DIed January 5, 2007 in La Mirada, California, USA.
Briefly married to drummer Hal Blaine (1955, divorce).
Young was the first of four talented children born to Loda and Mintie Stegall. Descended from an early American family dating back to 1736, the Stegall family had a long history of birthing "Methodist preachers or musicians." In Vicki's case, her parents were musicians and had one of the first professionally performing family western style bands, "The Stegalls."

By the time she was four, little Wanda was singing and already playing the banjo, ukulele and drums. For seven years, the youngster and her family band could be heard live over station KASA (AM 1210) in Elk City, Oklahoma.

In 1942, the Stegalls moved to San Bernardino, California and reorganized. Vicki decided to head out on her own in 1948, joining the Joe Newman Trio, appearing in Los Angeles clubs and for a brief period was featured on Spade Cooley’s TV show. Young was discovered at The Flamingo in San Bernardino, and in 1953, at age 28, was signed as an R&B artist by Capitol Records.

During her 8-year career at Capitol Records, Young cut 56 sides. After Capitol, Vicki was one of the first artists under the Brunswick label in the mid 50’s, along with the Lennon Sisters; her first release for Brunswick was "The Cheer Leader Flip" and "Pen and Paper Sweetheart."

Vicki co-wrote at least one song, "Let There Be You," penned with arranger/band leader Big Dave Cavanaugh just two weeks after the tragic death of her first son, Gary Phillip Truckee (age 6) to polio. She later had another young son die by car and retired from the music industry.

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