‘Seven Bridges Road’ Author Steve Young Dies

Young’s son, Jubal Lee Young, announced the news on Facebook Thursday with a post that began with lyrics from “Alabama Highway” (via Rolling Stone). The song hails from Steve Young’s third album, 1975’s Honky Tonk Man. 

“Turn supernatural, take me to stars and let me play. I want to be free, Alabama highway.”

My father, Steve Young, passed peacefully tonight in Nashville. While it is a sad occasion, he was also the last person who could be content to be trapped in a broken mind and body. He was far too independent and adventurous. I celebrate his freedom, as well, and I am grateful for the time we had. A true original.

According to Young’s bio, he didn’t consider himself a country singer. As his website points out, “Steve Young has never fit comfortably into categories. He follows his own musical and spiritual quest, weaving together Southern roots with a wide experience of life, and creating new traditions in American music.”

After a brief stint in the Greenwich Village folk scene, the Georgia native relocated to the West Coast in 1964, where he worked with musicians including Van Dyke Parks and Stephen Stills. His debut album, 1969’s Rock Salt & Nails, includes appearances from Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon and Gram Parsons.

He’s probably best known for writing the song “Seven Bridges Road,” which the Eagles covered on 1980’s Eagles Live. The tune hit No. 21 on the Hot 100 chart following the band’s breakup earlier that year. Rolling Stone notes that “Seven Bridges Road” was also recorded by dozens of other acts including Dolly Parton and Ricochet, as well as a 2007 live version by Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jimmy Buffett.

Waylon Jennings liked Young’s song “Longsome, On’ry and Mean” so much that he used it as the title track of his 1973 album. Travis Tritt charted with his cover of the song in 2003, according to CMT.

Young landed on the country chart just once with his 1977 version of Willie Nelson’s “It’s Not Supposed to Be That Way.” But of course, it wasn’t about the charts for Young.

His website says, “While Steve Young songs have brought commercial success to others, Young has never been close enough to the mainstream to sustain his occasional brushes with stardom. He has been unwilling to accept the loss of artistic control that the industry expects of its stars.”

Young’s final release was the 2007 live album Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend.