Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years

by Sharry Wilson

Overview

“A supremely compelling chronicle of Young’s first 20 years.” — Rolling Stone

“This is a book written by a true fan for true fans.” — Publishers Weekly

Includes many previously unseen photos and set lists

Exploring a time in this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s life that has yet to be documented with such depth of research, Young Neil is an exhaustive document of his “Sugar Mountain” years, from 1945 to 1966. From his birth in Toronto through his school years in Florida, Ontario, and Manitoba, the book examines the development of Young’s unique talent against a backdrop of shifting postwar values, a turbulent family history, and a musical revolution in the making.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770411869
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	10/01/2014
Edition description:	No Edition
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Sharry Wilson was born in Toronto and still resides just north of the city with her husband. A lifelong Neil Young fan, Sharry has contributed numerous articles to Broken Arrow, the quarterly magazine of the Neil Young Appreciation Society. Young Neil is an expansion of her two-part article, “A Shakey Education.” Young Neil is Sharry’s first book.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Born in Ontario

1 In the Beginning… 3

2 Omemiee and Beyond 21

3 An Uneasy Time in Toronto 60

4 Brock Road: A Rural Idyll 71

5 Sad Movies 110

6 It Might Have Been 126

Part 2 Winnipeg…Field of Opportunity

7 Earl Grey Junior High School: The Jades, The Esquires 153

8 Kelvin High School (Year One): The Stardusters/Twilighters/Teen Tones (and Others) 194

9 Kelvin High School (Year Two): The Classics, The Squires 232

10 Kelvin High School (Year Three): The Squires (Continued) 274

11 Get Gone 324

Part 3 Leaving Sugar Mountain

12 Oh Canada 347

Appendixes 375

End Notes 389

Bibliography 441

Other Sources 447

Index 448

Acknowledgements 467

Editorial Reviews

A supremely compelling chronicle of Young’s first 20 years.” — Rolling Stone

“A terrific study of Neil’s early life.” — Broken Arrow

“This is a book written by a true fan for true fans.” — Publishers Weekly

“The narrative is written in an unadorned style that makes for a leisurely read and reflects the uncomplicated authenticity of Young’s legacy. With a multitude of historic sources at her disposal, the author has borne essential reading for heavy duty fans who want—nay, need—to know why it’s so important to keep on rocking in the free world.” — Alibi

“A compelling look at the first 20 years of Neil Young’s life as he sets out on his journey to find a heart of gold. Sharry Wilson not only takes us on Neil’s voyage but also uncovers life in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s in Ontario and Manitoba. A wonderful study of one the world’s great artists written with passion and an obvious love for her subject.” —Bernie Finkelstein, founder of True North Records and author of True North: A Life In The Music Business

“Many interesting old photos and nostalgic moments from the ’50s and ’60s will likely entertain Neil Young fans and perhaps even give a better understanding of the man who in some ways never really left the Sugar Mountain years behind.” — Winnipeg Free Press

“A fascinating portrait of a life taking shape.” — Uncut Magazine

“Eye-witness interviews, accompanied by some superb archive images, help make this a book that’s as much essential social history as it is musical biography. For those who pore over Young’s career, this is an essential purchase.” — Record Collector Magazine

“impeccably researched and written.” — Record Collector News

From the Publisher