Johnny Young: key obituary facts
Is Johnny Young dead? Yes. Johnny Young died on August 14, 2026, at age 79.
Cause of death: Johnny Young's cause of death was reported as cancer.
What was Johnny Young known for?
He was an Australian singer.
More about Johnny Young
Born: 12 March 1947.
Place of birth: Rotterdam.
Gender: male.
Occupation: singer, television presenter, radio personality, songwriter, record producer.
Nationality: Australia.
Career began: 1961.
Genres: Pop.
Occupations: musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, television presenter, television producer, radio presenter, entrepreneur.
Instruments: Vocals, piano.
Years active: 1965–2026.
Formerly of: The Nomads, Strangers, Johnny Young & Kompany, Danny's Word.
Johnny Young, the Dutch-born Australian singer, songwriter and producer known for his work on Young Talent Time, died on August 14, 2026, aged 79.
Born Johnny Benjamin Arthur de Jong in Rotterdam on March 12, 1947, he built a long career in Australian music and broadcasting as a singer, record producer, disc jockey, television presenter and radio personality. Young was an early Australian pop act who scored a number-one hit in 1966 with the double A-sided single “Step Back” and a cover of the Strangeloves’ “Cara-lyn,” and he later hosted the television pop programme The Go!!
Show after Ian Turpie. He also toured with the Rolling Stones and supported Roy Orbison in the mid-1960s, and his career continued across music and television for decades.