Neil Young’s ex-wife Pegi Young, the subject of his song “Uknown Legend” and who was by his side throughout the majority of his adult life lost her one year battle to cancer on New Year’s Day and passed away at age 66. According to a statement she passed “surrounded by friends and family in California,” She’s survived by her children with Neil Young — son Ben, and daughter Amber — as well as ex-stepson Zeke and two grandchildren.
Young’s music career, meanwhile, began in 1994 — at the nationally televised Academy Awards ceremony, singing backup for Neil Young on his Oscar-nominated “Philadelphia.” She eventually became a regular backup singer on his tours and sang and played occasional acoustic guitar on some of his albums, including Greendale, Prairie Wind, Chrome Dreams II and the live album Road Rock Volume 1.
Most importantly Young served as president of the Bridge School’s board of directors since its inception, and was its Executive Director for seven years and was instrumental in the staging of the annual Bridge School Benefit concerts that featured acts from Metallica, Pearl Jam, Phish, R.E,M, Tom Petty and Elton John.
In 2007, Glide’s contributing writer Jason Gonulsen interviewed Pegi following the release of the first of three solo albums.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg
Check out Neil and Pegi sharing a few special glances from “Comes A Time” off Jonathan Demme’s film Heart of Gold.
