A Basic Brian Bio:

      As they say, you’re a product of your environment, and that is very much the case in Brian’s music styles.  Raised on the Cactus Mountain Ranch by the local game warden and school teacher in New River, Arizona; he grew up with a deep love of Western music – and really all American music styles such as country blues, blues, soul, bluegrass, country-folk, honky-tonk, Western Swing, rockabilly, country-rock, etc.  Outside of his frequent desert explorations, there wasn't much to do out on the relatively isolated ranch except study and play guitar – and wait every week for the next airing of Austin City Limits on Arizona State University’s (ASU) public education channel.  He especially loved Texas music, as it seemed to represent the heart of American music in a manner very familiar to a guy growing up in a border state.  After being lucky enough to attend ASU and participate in the 80’s heyday of the Tempe music scene, he was able to pull off the coup of attending Texas A&M University -- only ninety miles from Austin.  

     When he finally finished school, Brian had an opportunity to move back out West to Salt Lake City (SLC), and the deserts and mountains he loved so much. Despite its somewhat restrictive laws that prevent a downtown music bar scene as there had been in Tempe and Austin; there is a great love of performing arts in Salt Lake City and its surrounding state.  Also, it turns out SLC is a good place to settle down, and fatherhood quickly changed his focus.  Not only was it suddenly more difficult to play late-night shows, but he also recognized the importance of music to children and families.  At the same time, he had a difficult time finding music that he and his family could all enjoy together.  So he set out to make some of his own.  What first started out as solo shows at his childrens daycare, has now grown to a band that performs at major public events held by places like Utahs Hogle Zoo and the Salt Lake City Public Library.  Of course, the primary objective has always been to have as much fun as possible.

     The release of Doc Young's first official CD, which came out on June 21, 2008, was another exciting development.  It consists of a compilation of Brian’s family-friendly originals as well as covers of classic family-folk songs.  The CD was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered in Salt Lake City where it was coproduced by Hyrum Summerhays at AudioSpace. The artwork was drawn by a local artist, Matthew S. Armstrong, who also works for Harper Collins and Disney.  Part of the proceeds from the sale of the CDs go to organizations that help make the world better for children.

Contact Information:

e-mail: doc@docyoungmusic.com

Testimonials:

"The Doc Young band came and performed at Trick or Treat Street keeping all the kids entertain as well as the parents.  Everyone loved the band and the interaction that the band had with the kids. This is a great band for kids of all ages and they do a great job of entertaining everyone.  Thanks again Doc Young for coming to our Street!" -- Sherri Hansen; Event Coordinator, Trick or Treat Street Utah, llc.

"The Doc Young band is a must have addition to any event!  They are professional, they will arrive on time with all the necessary equipment!  Their music is light, family friendly, toe-tapping, hand-clapping, and very fun!  I would recommend this band to anyone and everyone looking for family-friendly entertainment!" -- Song Stott; Special Events Coordinator, Utah's Hogle Zoo

“We just love Doc Young.  He’s been performing at our center for many years now; and its always fun, fresh, and engaging.  The teachers enjoy his music at least as much as the children do!” --  Sue Romine; Assistant Director, Caring for Kids, Inc.   

"Doc Young performed at the Annual Child Care Professional Development Conference.  It was a wonderful opportunity to laugh and sing.  I imagine the world would be a better place if we would all sing more." -- Lynette Rasmussen; Director,  Utah Office of Work and Family Life 

"Doc Young performed at the Main Library in last year's Summer Reading Party and was great.  Not only were his songs a lot of fun, but both children and adults seemed to be entertained.  One of the things we appreciated the most was the degree to which he involved the audience. Children were encouraged to sing along and dance around.  The Children's Department tries very hard to create a family-friendly environment at all of its events, and Doc's performance fit right in with that goal.   We look forward to working with Doc again and encourage others to take advantage of this fun opportunity." -- Paul Musser and Deanna Romriell; Children's Librarians, The Salt Lake City Library