(Oldies '60 / Girl Group / Early Pop/Rock) Kathy Young & The Innocents - A Thousand Stars - 1993, MP3 (tracks), 320 kbps

Indigo Records released this LP on the heels of Kathy Young & the Innocents' smash remake of the Revileers' "A Thousand Stars." It features 11 similar sweeties. Though labeled a girl group, the Innocents were three guys; the tag, however, fits their girl group-ish sound. Only 15 years old at the time, Young sings "Eddie My Darling," Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," and "Angel on My Shoulder" with all the sweet innocence of the infatuated teen that she was.

Best remembered for her 1960 smash "A Thousand Stars," teen pop singer Kathy Young was born in Santa Ana, CA on October 21, 1945. Her big break followed while attending a taping of Wink Martindale's local television show -- among the guests were harmony trio the Innocents, riding high on the success of their hit "Honest I Do," and after the show Young introduced herself to the group and their producer, Indigo Records staffer Jim Lee. At Lee's invitation, the 15-year-old Young entered Indigo's studios the next week, and backed by the Innocents she recorded a cover of Eugene Pearson and the Rivileers' doo wop favorite "A Thousand Stars"; not only did the record peak at number three on the U.S. pop charts that Halloween, it cracked the R&B Top Ten as well. The follow-up "Happy Birthday Blues" reached the number 30 spot in March of 1961, although subsequent efforts including "Magic Is the Night" and a cover of the Platters classic "The Great Pretender" failed to achieve Top 40 status. When Lee left Indigo in 1962 to found the Monogram label, he brought Young with him; there she recorded as a solo artist in addition to a series of duets with Chris Montez. None recaptured her earlier success, however, and after some final sides for the Starfire imprint, Young relocated to London, later marrying the Walker Brothers' John Maus.