Steve Young:

In 1963, he was perhaps Alabama's only native-born, "left-wing folk singer."

"It's a little bit akin to an Americana Third World or Latino world and this fascinates me," Young explained in a late-night telephone interview earlier this week. It was after 11 p.m. in LA, prime time for the "thoroughly nocturnal" troubadour. A former "druggie-alky" he now enjoys working out, relaxing, and exploring the sights and sounds of the neighborhood.

Young's diverse musical interests include appreciation of slack-)key. He was introduced to Led Kaapana at a Hawaiian-style backyard jam in L.A. Kaapana opens the evening when Young plays the Honolulu Academy of Arts on Saturday.

"Middle America thinks of L.A. as slick and phony but the vast part of it is these poor hard-working people, mostly immigrants, who are a lot like our ancestors. Some of the things that I'm trying to write right now are somewhat about that kind of subject, or my views of it anyway. There's a different wavelength in some respects but many similarities.

"Ironically some of it reminds me of my childhood in the old Deep South, the poor south. The South was much harsher (and) I think Southerners in their nature are much more harsh but there are still some similarities - good food, (people are) very religious."

It was the harshness of some fellow Southerners that drove the Alabama-born Young to California in 1963. Inspired by the folk music heroes of the time, he was perhaps Alabama's only native-born "left-wing folk singer." Friends with a recording contract waiting in L.A. invited him to go west just about the same time the local Klan let it be known he'd find it unhealthy to stay in Alabama. The group recorded three of his songs while he backed them on guitar; by 1968 he was a recording artist in his own right.

"A lot of people just want me be to be a writer, but I enjoy interpreting songs. I see myself as an ancient troubadour-type, off-beat character on the fringes of the music business. I've told 'em in Nashville that if I knew how to sell out (and go commercial) I would, but I just don't know how. It's been quite difficult in some ways but at the same time I've had a lot of privileges from it too."

Young's style is a blend of European-American folk, country, Celtic, western, and acoustic blues.

"All my music comes from those (southern) roots one way or another. The roots of American music all come from there. I had a hard time there and still have battle scars, (but) if you were born in the South and grew up in the South you're not going to escape it."

Who: Steve Young and Ledward Kaapana
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Academy of Arts Theatre, 900 S. Beretania
Cost: $15 and $12
Call: 532-8700