Karen Young (American singer)

For other people of the same name, see Karen Young (disambiguation).

Karen Young (March 23, 1951 — January 26, 1991) was an American disco-era singer best known for her hit, "Hot Shot".

Biography

Young grew up in a Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rowhouse. Before becoming an international recording star with "Hot Shot," she recorded jingles and background vocals for the Philadelphia based production companies. In the early 1970s Young performed with the group Sandd, featuring Frank Gilckin (lead guitar), George Emertz (rhythm guitar), Frank Ferraro (bass guitar) and Dennis Westman (drums).

The song "Hot Shot" peaked at #67 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1978, after enjoying two weeks at #1 on that magazine's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, thus qualifying Young as a one-hit wonder. "Hot Shot" was written, produced and arranged by Philadelphians Andy Kahn and Kurt Borusiewicz, with Walter "Kandor" Kahn as executive producer. An album, also entitled Hot Shot, followed, both released by West End Records of New York. "Hot Shot" was featured in the 1990 film, Reversal of Fortune. The song was later used as a sample in Daft Punk's song "Indo Silver Club" on their album Homework. Various "Hot Shot" remixes were released in 2007. One such, entitled "Hot Shot - The Karen Young Reheat," held the #7 position for two weeks on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, achieving five weeks on that chart's Top 10.

"Rendezvous With Me," a song written by Kahn in 1979 was intended as her follow-up to "Hot Shot," but was never finished. Discovered in Kahn's tape vault, "Rendezvous With Me" was released by MaxRoxx Music for the first time in March 2009.

Young died of a bleeding ulcer in January 1991, at age 39.

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External links

• Maxroxx.com
• Perfectbeat.com