Hi! Thanks for checking out my website...you can thank SeeRay Studios for the most excellent web design! Also, I'd like to thank Russ Elliot for letting me use his biography on my website. "Thanks Russ!" And a special thanks to Robb Kerr for the cyberspace!! And now, for the news....
May 11, 2006 For those of you who would like to see my acoustic side you'll be pleased to hear that I'm scheduled to perform at this year's Riverbend Festival again. This time I was asked by the committee to do an acoustic set - specifically by one member who has heard some of my acoustic songs before. Of course, I'll be doing some acoustic interpretations of some of my album material as well. On the bright side, that's less the normal hassle of trying to coordinate a rehearsal schedule for the seven people I usually put together for this show...but I will miss them dearly. I'll be performing Saturday, June 17, 2006, 6:15 - 7:30 pm on the AmSouth stage. This inviting under-the-bridge amphitheatre stage has the atmosphere of a private club, and I look forward to seeing many familiar faces in the audience that day!
May 11, 2006 I'm very pleased to announce that following the March release of Rudi Buttas' second solo album, "On My Side", we are scheduled to do another show July 23, 2006 - Sersheim (Gelände Fontanis). I'm not sure where exactly this is in Germany, but if you are in the area and want to attend, details can be obtained through www.rudys-journey.de.
April 15, 2006 The Core performed at the Thunder Creek Harley Davidson Poker Run to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. We want to thank all the bikers who rode all day and then rocked out with us for this wonderful cause!
Photo courtesy of Road Rash Magazine/May 2006
November 21, 2005 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Music presents "Beat Hunger", a concert given by the UTC Percussion Ensemble, directed by Dr. Monte Coulter, with special guest Michelle Young. The proceeds go to benefit the Chattanooga Community Kitchen.
It was a wonderful concert, and I was pleased to perform once again with this talented group. I'd never seen the blues done on marimbas before, so this was a new experience for me. If you'd like to see an abbreviated video clip of our performance of Albert King's "You're Gonna' Need Me", click on the picture below. (Sorry if the picture quality is lacking...trying to get something small enough to make it web-worthy is quite the challenge!)
September 11, 2005 On this anniversary of the terrorist attacks of the United States I am reminded not only of the fear that we as a nation felt during that time, but also of the fact that right after 9/11 I was scheduled to go to Germany - to tour with Rudy's Journey, and also to promote the release of " Marked For Madness". Once again, I am scheduled to go to Germany. My husband and I plan to be there during the beginning of October, during which time I will be recording again with Rudi Buttas for his second solo release.
Note: The recording session lasted a grueling three days - sunny, beautiful days that I wanted to be out in, but we (Rudi, Joe Crawford [producer], Torsten [engineer] and I) stuck it out in the studio finishing at 4:00 a.m. the morning of our return flight. Fortunately, we finished the recordings we needed, and the album is due for release in February of 2006. Rudi invited me to tour at that time, so I'm really looking forward to seeing beautiful Germany again in the near future!
September 10, 2005 We ( The Core) were very pleased to perform at Patrick's during an all day event that helped raise money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. The roster was packed with bands eager to show their support, and both the indoor and outdoor stages were in full swing all day long. The proceeds were given to the local chapter of the Red Cross, and our prayers and thoughts are with not only those directly affected by the hurricane, but also with those who are giving their time and resources to help rebuild the lives of the survivors.
September 17, 2004 For those of you wondering how the next album is coming, I have to say "slowly but surely" because there have been so many wonderful things going on. I have planned another trip to England on October 10 to do more work with Clive Nolan, but most of this trip will be dedicated to work for other music projects than the next album ("Three Tales For The Telling"). What could be more pressing than the release of the next album? Well, I have some exciting news that has been in the works for over a year now, but the time has come to make the announcement...
I have been invited to perform with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera on March 5, 2005, under the direction of conductor Robert Bernhardt...what a rare and marvelous opportunity!!! I am excited to be performing songs from "Marked For Madness" and a new one that is slated to appear on "Three Tales For The Telling". There is so much prep work that I'm sure I'll be busy right up until performance time. Also, as in true "Madness" style, there'll be extravagant costuming and mood-setting stage design. See it if you can!
August 28, 2004 Michelle was invited to sing our National Anthem at the semi-pro football game between the Chattanooga Steam and Nashville Storm teams, and enjoyed every minute of it. Look for an encore performance at the next and final home game of the season September 25th
August 17, 19, 2004 Look for Michelle to co-host the Channel 45 PBS Fund Drive during televised concerts from André Rieu and James Taylor...Support your local Public Television!
June 19, 2004 Well, the gang was all back for another well-received performance of originals at the fantastic Riverbend Festival. This year's performance was on the CoVista stage with a promotional performance and interview on the Chip Chapman Show (Channel 12), and an interview during sound check that aired on Channel 45. I want to thank Dixie Fuller, and all the staff that helped make this performance possible, but I especially want to thank the musicians and singers who did the show with me - I couldn't have done it without them! They are:
Monte Coulter - Drums, Keyboard
Joel Bouchard - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Gary Hicks - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Fred Schendel - Keyboards
Rhonda Gilreath - Vocals
Rosemary Andersen - Vocals
Also, a very special "Thank You" to Motion Picture Servicesfor the great video footage!
November 1, 2003 Michelle sang some of your favorite 'music of the night' from Phantom of the Opera for the March of Dimes' Grande Masquerade 2003 Gourmet Gala, an event featuring an evening of great entertainment benefiting a wonderful cause.
October 18, 2003 Michelle will be singing many of your favorite Disney tunes at The Princess Ball, an event benefiting Signal Centers and sponsored by Disney. Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella will be there, as well as Mary Costa, Disney's voice of Sleeping Beauty. For Michelle, who has always been a great Disney fan, singing at this event is a fairy tale come true!
August 2, 2003 The offices of Naosha Records will be closed August 3 - August 12, 2003. We will be open for business again on the 13th.
July 28, 2003 FINALLY!!! The remastered version of 'Song of the Siren' is available!
June 11, 2003 After much anticipation, 'Song of the Siren' is finally at the manufacturing plant, and will be available again in just a few short weeks. Your patience (or impatience) has been very much appreciated during the long process of re-pressing. Once you hear this re-mastered version and see the new artwork, you'll certainly enjoy the extra effort put forth on this project!
June 11, 2003 Naosha Records is pleased to inform you that 'Marked For Madness' has recently been licensed to CD-Maximum in Russia, where it will be distributed to the Baltic States. Thanks to Irina and his crew for spreading the Madness!
December 8, 2002 It's time for the official announcement. December 28th I am scheduled to fly to England and start work with Clive Nolan on my third solo album, "Three Tales For The Telling". I'm very excited and happy to be working with Clive again, and though there will be some new players in the lineup, I also plan to work with other veterans from "Marked For Madness", including Doane Perry. Speaking in the area of "Tull Gents", there is another official announcement to be made: (drum roll please....)
Andrew Giddings and I are also scheduled to start an album together in the coming year. If you've ever listened to "Divinities" you'll understand why I'm simply amazed at his talent. The work he did with Vyktoria Keating also proves that he's an excellent producer as well as a musician, and I'm really looking forward to our collaboration.
As you can see, things are very busy on the new music end, so I expect a little slack in the re-pressing of "Song of the Siren" ;-) Actually, the graphics are very close to being completed, and the music has been remastered at Thin Ice (UK) by Karl Groom, so the next stop is the pressing plant. Again, I will keep you informed of any updates. Thanks for your patience :-)
In the next few months we will be working hard on the site to get it updated and more complete. Please check back often for the latest developments.
October 17, 2002 Radio Interview (Live from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. EDT) with PlasmaBoy for his 'Locals Only' show on WAWL FM91.5, Chattanooga, TN
October 1, 2002 Radio Interview with Richard Winham for NPR's "Voices From Home" segment aired at 8:00 p.m. EDT Monday, October 14, on WUTC FM88.1, Chattanooga, TN
September 23, 2002 Several members of "Major 7", along with an ex-member and a non-member, recorded my country duet, "It Should've Been You", at Mikron Studios. Written in 1991, this song was finally given the opportunity to see the light of day on stage at the Rock and Country Club. Because of the huge response, I decided to get it on tape (yes, we recorded 24 track 2" analog), and now have CDRs available for those who have been asking about it. The crew:
Michelle Young - vocals
Rick Davis - vocals, bass
Jim Davis - steel guitar
Bob Williams - keyboards
Michael Walker - guitar
Chris Boyd - drums
Engineered by Jeff Coppage
I'd like to thank all of the guys for their efforts and fine playing, and a special thanks to Steve Salibo. If you're a fan of country music, this is a must-listen!
June 4, 2002 The "R.U.D.Y.'S Journey 2002 Summer Tour" will begin very soon. I will be performing at the first show in Freiberg, but unfortunately will not be able to participate in the complete tour. The dates are as follows: July 14, 2002: Freiberg amndt Neckar - Seebühne (20h30, admission free) August 2, 2002: Weinsberg - Weinfestival August 15, 2002: Neckarwestheim - Schloss Liebenstein August 31, 2002: Baden Baden - Festival Baden Baden October 5, 2002: Heilbronn - Gartenlaube I'm really looking forward to rock-n-rolling with my friends again, and hope to see some familiar faces in the audience.
June 4, 2002 The re-pressing of "Song of the Siren" (currently sold out) is moving forward slowly but surely. For those of you who do not know, the re-pressing will include new artwork (using elements of the original graphics) and a re-mastered disc. The bonus track, "Mary, Mary", will not be included. If you have any questions about this information please do not hesitate to email me. It shouldn't be too much longer now!
April 13, 2002
Finally! The pictures from the "Rudy's Journey 2002 Tour" are posted in the Gallery! I'd like to thank all the fans and associates who have contributed to the live photos on this site :-)
March 4, 2002 Just a quick note from the road to say that the tour is going great! We have had some very enthusiastic crowds, and some highly dedicated fans who have traveled many miles to make multiple dates. Yesterday Rudi, Jochen, Mattias, and myself went to Mainz to record an unplugged radio broadcast for Radio SWR1. This will be aired on Sunday, March 10. The next stop on Rudi's Journey - we are scheduled to appear on a television program Tuesday (tomorrow)...then we resume the concerts on Thursday. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the surprise day of sunshine (it has been very rainy for the most part). Until the next time... M
January 31, 2002 The concert dates for the 2002 Rudy's Journey tour are as follows:
28.02.02 (Generalprobe) Heilbronn, Bürgerhaus Böckingen
www.jugendtreff-heilbronn.de
01.03.02 Stuttgart, Villa Berg - präsentiert von (es gibt auch einen Livemitschnitt)
Tickethotline nur für das Konzert am 01.03.02: 01805 - 92 92 11
http://www.swr.de
02.03.02 Ulm, Roxy
www.roxy.ulm.de
07.03.02 Freiburg, Jazzhaus
www.jazzhaus.de
08.03.02 Schwäbisch Hall, Arche Sonnenhof
www.sonnenhof-sha.de
09.03.02 Karlsruhe, Festhalle Durlach
www.foerderkreis-kultur.de
14.03.02 Mainz, KUZ
www.kuz.de
15.03.02 Friedrichshafen, Bahnhof Fischbach
www.bhffischbach.com
If you missed the show in September you won't want to miss seeing this tour! Songs from "Rudy's Journey", "Song of the Siren", and "Marked For Madness", as well as some eXact originals will be performed during these shows... don't miss this rare opportunity!
CONCERT DATES FOR GERMANY AND BELGIUM:
28th Sept. with Rudy's Journey (check www.foolsgarden.de for details)
1st Oct. with Midnight Movers in Kaiserslautern
2nd Oct. with Midnight Movers in Saarbrücken - CANCELED
3rd Oct. in Kaiserslautern, Irish House - CANCELED
4th Oct. in Belgium, Verviers, Spirit of 66 - CANCELED Note: Due to several unforseen circumstances, the October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th shows have been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you missed the Fool's Garden festival and cannot attend the October 1st appearance in Kaiserslautern, there will be other opportunities to see me and the guys in Europe on future dates...we will keep you updated. Thank you for your continued support!
A BIG "THANK YOU" to everyone who voted for me during the Women of MP3 contest! Thanks to you, I came in second, which is great for a first try :-) THE LATEST ON "Marked For Madness" : September 24, 2001"Marked For Madness" is made available to the world....YEAH!!!!
August 27, 2001 "Marked For Madness" is officially scheduled for international release on September 24, 2001. The album is being pressed in Germany, and the release will coincide with the scheduled shows for late September and early October in Germany and Belgium.
May 14, 2001 One of the important aspects of an album is the packaging. I spent much time deliberating over which photographer to choose. I finally found someone through the internet...David Stuart, from Atlanta, GA. I needed someone with a creative edge, who could translate "Marked For Madness" into the visual world. We talked over a period of several days, and came up with a few ideas we decided to focus on. During our twelve hour shoot, with the help of Viktorija (make-up/hair) and Rosa (stylist/hair), I was transformed into....well, actually, I'd better not give that away until the graphics are complete and ready for public viewing...but, you'll see me as you've never seen me before!
May 1-10, 2001 My final trip to the UK to work on "Marked For Madness"! Karl Groom spent several days pulling together the pieces of the puzzle...with parts having been recorded in California, Virginia, Nashville (TN), and the UK, it was very interesting to see how the final product would sound. Perfect!!! Absolutely brilliant!!! Time to move on to...
May 8, 2001 The day to master my album finally arrived! Clive and I took the train into London, early enough to eat breakfast at Abbey Road Studios' cafeteria before our session. (I was so excited that I slept only two and a half hours the night before, and was yawning frequently on the train). After breakfast we sat in the lobby watching one of those wall-mounted flat-screened TVs, while waiting for Nick Webb, our engineer. When he arrived we moved on to Mastering Suite #7, and proceeded to "get down to business". Wow, what a day! It was a long enough session that we got to stay for lunch too (delicious!), and right after lunch we got a peek at Studios 1, 2, & 3. Studio #1 is under reconstruction, so we didn't walk around in there, but we got a very nice look at the others. Then it was back to work...and then, of course, a listen to the final product! Wow!!! Hats off to Karl, Nick and Clive for the brilliant mixing and mastering!
December 31, 2000 found me flying home from another excursion to England, where we successfully tracked my vocals, recorded Pete Banks' guitar parts, and managed to lay down some additional guitar parts by Karl Groom (from "Threshold"). Peter Gee (of "Pendragon" fame) will be recording the bass sometime during the first two weeks of January, and we should be about ready for mixing. YEAH!!!! Doane Perry has finished all of the drums, so all the pieces of the puzzle are in England.
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING...
September 28, 2001
Rudy's Journey had a very successful debut as we performed to over 1,000 enthusiastic fans during the first day of the Fool's Garden Birthday Party...the weather was lovely, and many people in the crowd already knew the songs well enough to sing along. Several talented bands graced the stage during the course of the evening, and at the end of the night we all participated in a finale on stage, singing the Beatles' "Get Back", and Sting's "The Shape of My Heart". There was such a wonderful feeling on stage - I can hardly describe the kinship that was felt. The bands were friendly, talking with each other throughout the day, and then meeting and greeting fans in the photo/video room. The strangest thing...they had a fancy red velvet bed set up, with unusual lamps surrounding it - looked like it belonged in a castle...and people paid to have their pictures made with us on the bed....yeah...that was strange! Look for pictures from the rehearsals at www.rudys-journey.de.
July 25,2001
Well, I've just received word that we'll be performing from the album "R.U.D.Y.'s Journey" in Germany during a two day concert September 28 and 29. Fool's Garden is celebrating their 10th birthday with a benefit for the NORDHOFF-ROBBINS-FUND, which is a musical therapy organization, and the line-up also includes PUR unplugged, Die Prinzen, Kraan, Brings, Camouflage, Wolf Maahn, Wolle Kriwanek, David Hanselmann & The Dudes, Brainstorm, The Brothers, Stone the Crow, You, and Tea For Two. I'm very excited about this show, and look forward to seeing old and new friends alike. Since this concert coincides with the "Marked For Madness" release, we'll be promoting the CD and selling CDs on site. To all you European music lovers - even if it's a days journey from you, it'll be well worth the trip! For more info, go to the Fool's Garden website.
July 10, 2001
The world is poised for the release of "Leonardo...The Absolute Man" on July 24, 2001 - or should be. This rock opera masterpiece was written by Trent Gardner, and is being released on the Magna Carta label. I'm very excited to be involved in such an excellent album along with James LaBrie (Dream Theater, Mull Mullmuzzler), Steve Walsh ( Kansas ), Jeremy Colson, Steve & Pat Reyes (all of Dali's Dilemma), Josh Pincus (Ice Age), Chris Shryack ( Under The Sun) and the other talented people that are on this release. Here's wishing Trent and Magna Carta great success with this album!
July 9, 2001
I have finally finished recording my parts for Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman's next album that is based on a Sherlock Holmes tale, "The Hound of the Baskervilles". It's in the post, and out of my hands :-)
June 13, 2001
Two performances at the Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga, TN. Joining me on stage were:
Joel Bouchard - guitar
Gary Hicks - bass
Monte Coulter - drums
Sarah Snyder - backing vocals
Rosie Andersen - backing vocals
Jon Colston - guest guitarist
Thanks to all of these guys and gals for their hard work and dedication in helping me deliver some high energy entertainment! 
June 5, 2001
Radio Appearance on WGOW 102.3, "Talk Radio" with Jeff Styles
June 1, 2001
I entered the twilight zone today when I received a bootleg CDR of "Leonardo...The Absolute Man" (thank you Oscar!) Someone got hold of some product before next month's release date and auctioned one of these discs on E-Bay. When the highest bidder contacted me to ask what I thought of the album, I told him I hadn't heard it yet. So, he kindly offered to burn me a CDR so I wouldn't have to wait any longer. I hope to be receiving my "official" copy from the label very soon, so I can see the artwork. Wow, what an album!
September, 2000
Well, I've just had another "just for the heck of it" pay off...I entered the Forsyth Vintette "Win a Free Music Video" contest recently, thinking I had little to lose. I surely didn't expect to win the grand prize, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that a simple piano/vocal arrangement CAN beat out some cool action-packed bass-thumpin' primal-screamin' butt-backin' "yo-bro" song...Wow! If you'd like to read more about the contest, and Forsyth Vintette, you can go to the contest winners page and surf the site from there. October 22, 2000 is the day we have planned to immortalize "Kiss Me" on film, and when it is made available to the public, you'll find it here first! (There will be video clips posted at the Forsyth Vintette site for previewing).
September 9, 2000 officially closed another chapter in my music history with the final performance of our rock-n-blues band, "American Flyer", in Sweetwater, TN. Since the drummer's announcement in August that he was leaving the band (no bad split, he just had some personal business to attend to), we've all been contemplating our musical futures. We've decided to go our own ways for now, though some of us may be working together again in the future. I would like to say that we've been like a family for five years. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I thank each one of them for all the memories. Together we grew musically, to the point that we could have people of all ages and tastes bouncing off the walls to our grooves and onstage antics...I wish each of them the best!
June, 2000
I caught up with my friends from Jethro Tull at their Chattanooga and Atlanta shows (wonderful performances!), and took some fun photos of my visits with the guys. Click here to view these photos w/commentary.
I was cordially invited to write for the Dutch Progressive Rock Page's "The Vision Pit" ("Words of Encouragement" - Michelle Young). This is an excellent online progressive rock magazine...don't miss this site!
December, 1999/January, 2000
I returned from England in January where I have been working on my new solo album, "Marked For Madness". This is a project I'm doing with Clive Nolan (Arena, Pendragon, Shadowland, Strangers On A Train, etc...) at Thin Ice Studios in Virginia Water (county of Surrey). I spent, in all, about eight weeks there last year (thanks Clive and Sian!), and got to celebrate New Years 2000 jamming with some of my favorite prog artists! Wow, that was a night to remember! This new album is exciting for me because not only have I grown musically since "Song of the Siren", I'm getting the opportunity to work with some very incredible talents as well. Guest artists include Clive Nolan, Doane Perry/drums (Jethro Tull), Bobby Kimball/vocals (Toto), Pete Banks/guitar (ex-Yes), Stan Whitaker/guitar (Happy The Man), and others who have contributed so much to the quality of this recording. I'm almost on the home stretch of finishing, but because I've been spending so much time on the road recently, I've been thrown behind schedule. So, I'm projecting a tentative release date of September, 2001. Sorry I can't be more specific at this time, but things are moving forward.
"Marked For Madness" will have a variety of musical flavors (standard Michelle fare), but if I had to sum up the overall feel for someone who's not familiar with my styles, I'd say "Kate Bush meets Danny Elfman" (That's how most people describe it). There's lots of vocal antics and musical drama, with overtones of opera, rock, and classical influences. A very common phrase I hear from people who have heard some of the demos is "movie music". Curious yet? Check out my MP3.com/MichelleYoung site for a sneak preview with some "MFM" demos!
January/February, 2000
Shortly after my return from England I took off for Bietigheim, Germany, where I recorded on Rudi Buttas's first solo album. Rudi is the guitarist from the very popular German band "PUR" (Check them out! All lyrics are in German...) and he invited me to do instrumental and vocal work on his album. While there, it was also my pleasure to record two duets with the charming Mike Sadler (of the band "Saga")...wow, you should hear the songs! I got to visit a couple of castles while there, went bicycle riding, got a cuckoo clock from the Black Forest, and I fell in love with the "Smart" car! Many thanks to Rudi, Torsten, Frank, Annette, Johen, Seeko, and everyone else who made my visit there such a wonderful experience!
December, 1999
Another very exciting bit of news...In December I finished recording the part of Catarina in a rock opera by Trent Gardner(Magellan) called "Leonardo...The Absolute Man", based on the life of Leonardo da Vinci. This album will be on the Magna Carta label, and features James LaBrie (Dream Theater, Mull Mullmuzzler), Steve Walsh ( Kansas ), Jeremy Colson, Steve & Pat Reyes (all of Dali's Dilemma), Josh Pincus (Ice Age) and Chris Shryack ( Under The Sun). Steve Walsh and I are singing a gorgeous duet on this album...you should definitely check it out! Magna Carta is projecting a release date of July, 2001. 
PENDING PROJECTS:
Remember the fabulous "Jabberwocky" album I did backing vocals on...the one Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman wrote together? Well, they're busy writing another album based on Sherlock Holmes. A little birdie told me that Tracy Hitchings and myself will have the female roles (if nothing strange and horrible happens...no jinx allowed!!!) I don't know if Rick Wakeman and Pete Banks et al will show up on this one...we'll just have to let the scene unfold. Well, as you can see, I've definitely been busy (I'm continually writing also)...here's hoping that things continue at this pace! Thanks again for checking out the site [are you dynamic? tickle my chin ;-)] and have a WONDERFUL DAY!!!
Michelle
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Oliver Wakeman
Kinesis (USA) - sells an array of progressive CDs, including "Marked For Madness"
By the way, check out some cool music from my friends of Wappa Gappa...They're a really cool Japanese progresive band with a female vocalist (nice voice!). Best wishes to them in their endeavors! Russell Elliot's Musical Discoveries Russell Elliot is a huge fan of Progressive music, and has a special appreciation for female vocalists. His musical analysises are both thoughtful and thorough - definitely worth investigating his finds! New Horizons This UK based award-winning site is another wonderful source for information on Progressive music...with CD reviews, interviews, news, tourdates, buying information and links, you're certain to find some new music worth listening to here! 
 Michelle Young - Naosha Records
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