Introduction to Cliff DeYoung
Cliff DeYoung (born Clifford Tobin DeYoung in 1945) is an American actor, singer and musician, having been a lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock band Clear Light. After the group disbanded, DeYoung pursued acting. He starred on the Broadway production of Hair and the Tony Award-winning Sticks and Bones. He has acted in numerous films such as Harry and Tonto, The Shock Treatment, Blue Collar, The Skateboard Kid, and so many others. Although he rarely tackled television, he nevertheless got to star in a successful TV film Sunshine in 1973 (a spin-off TV series was also aired subsequently). DeYoung also recorded “My Sweet Lady” which was composed by John Denver and used as a theme song for the TV film. It was DeYoung’s only other venture in the music field, and he returned the acting thereafter.
Meet Cliff DeYoung
American actor and sometime singer Cliff DeYoung was born Clifford Tobin DeYoung on February 12, 1945 in Los Angeles, California. He is an alumnus of California State University, having graduated there in 1968.
Before embarking on an acting career, he became the lead singer of the psychedelic rock group Clear Light. They played alongside other artists such as The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and other acts.
When Clear Light split in the early 70s music era, DeYoung moved to New York and launched his acting career, appearing on theater plays such as Hair and the Tony Award-winning Sticks and Bones. Four years later he came back to California to do a made-for-TV movie titled Sunshine, which became hugely successful that it even had a short-lived TV series as a spin-off.
“My Sweet Lady” DeYoung’s only hit (and charting) single
DeYoung performed and recorded a song for the hit TV film called “My Sweet Lady,” released on MCA label. The song reached its peak position at #17 on the pop chart in 1974. Clearly his one and only hit, “My Sweet Lady” was written by John Denver, who also wrote songs for Sunshine.
After his brief musical solo stint, DeYoung went back with his acting career. Throughout the 1970’s to 1980’s, he was actively appearing in numerous television series: Harry and Tonto (1974), The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976), The 3,000 Mile Chase (1978), Blue Collar (1978), Shock Treatment (a 1981 sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and Flight of the Navigator (1986). Several of his recent projects were the films Suicide Kings (1997) and Last Flight Out (2004).
Oldies classic music enthusiasts will always remember “My Sweet Lady” and probably its singer DeYoung as a one hit wonder.
Cliff DeYoung’s discography (may be partial)
MCA Records
(1973)
- A: My Sweet Lady
- B: Sunshine On My Shoulders
(1974)
- A: She Bent Me Straight Again [Mono]
- B: She Bent Me Straight Again [Stereo]
(1974)
- A: She Bent Me Straight Again
- B: Escaping Reality
(Dec 1974)
- A: It Hurts A Little Even Now
- B: Lines
(1975)
- A: If I Could Put You In My Song
- B: You Will Never Know