Uploaded March 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
As a 14 year old eighth grade Hamilton Junior High School student in Long Beach, Cal., Young aspired to be a recording artist. One day at a Dance Party show, she met the manager of the show's guest vocal group, The Innocents. Young asked about making a record, and was told to call back at a later date. With the help of school friends, she fund-raised enough money to cover the cost of a studio recording session. Eventually, after getting the opportunity to record some of her demos, it was her rendition of "A Thousand Stars", originally recorded by an R&B group called The Riviliers in 1954, that drew the studio's interest. Paired up with The Innocents back-up harmony, they knew they had a hit. With the help of radio station deejays, the song blasted its way to reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 R&B charts in 1960 and became a memorable love ballad of that teen pop era.
As a 14 year old eighth grade Hamilton Junior High School student in Long Beach, Cal., Young aspired to be a recording artist. One day at a Dance Party show, she met the manager of the show's guest vocal group, The Innocents. Young asked about making a record, and was told to call back at a later date. With the help of school friends, she fund-raised enough money to cover the cost of a studio recording session. Eventually, after getting the opportunity to record some of her demos, it was her rendition of "A Thousand Stars", originally recorded by an R&B group called The Riviliers in 1954, that drew the studio's interest. Paired up with The Innocents back-up harmony, they knew they had a hit. With the help of radio station deejays, the song blasted its way to reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 R&B charts in 1960 and became a memorable love ballad of that teen pop era.
