[1] Young grew up in Rochester, Kent, and was first introduced to music by his family's involvement in the Salvation Army, his father playing cornet in the band.
[2][5] After the war Young became a staff arranger at publishers Francis, Day & Hunter in London's Denmark Street, contributing arrangements for Tommy Handley's ITMA radio show and for the Royal Command Performance in 1948, and working with Petula Clark, and Max Bygraves early in their careers.
The two Decca 78s helped establish Chacksfield's sound and both became major transatlantic hits, with Ebb Tide the first British instrumental to top the US charts.
[7] Artists who used the orchestra and Young as an arranger included Elaine Delmar, Bent Fabric and Roger Whittaker (on Durham Town).
Waiting for a train back to Tonbridge following a Salvation Army brass band concert at the Royal Festival Hall in January 1991, he collapsed and died on Platform C of Waterloo East Station.