Editing Neil Young (section)

==Early life (1945–1963)==
Neil Young{{sfn|McDonough|2002|p=37}} was born on November 12, 1945, in Toronto.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/neil-young-mn0000379125/biography|title=Artist Biography [Neil Young]|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|publisher=[[AllMusic.com]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-nz/entertainment/music/neil-youngs-net-worth-revealed-after-marrying-daryl-hannah-in-secret/ar-BBMFqUf|title=Neil Young's Net Worth Revealed After Marrying Daryl Hannah in Secret|website=Msn.com|access-date=June 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501213237/https://www.msn.com/en-nz/entertainment/music/neil-youngs-net-worth-revealed-after-marrying-daryl-hannah-in-secret/ar-BBMFqUf|archive-date=May 1, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father, [[Scott Young (writer)|Scott Alexander Young]] (1918–2005), was a journalist and sportswriter who also wrote fiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/PROV/PROV/REFD+F+1134?SESSIONSEARCH|title=Scott Young Fonds|publisher=Ao.minisisinc.com|access-date=June 2, 2012|archive-date=October 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011061430/http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/PROV/PROV/REFD+F+1134?SESSIONSEARCH|url-status=dead}}</ref> His mother, Edna Blow Ragland "Rassy" Young (1918–1990) was a member of the [[Daughters of the American Revolution]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/ragland/featured/3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517143610/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/ragland/featured/3|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 17, 2013|title=Featured Articles About Ragland – Page 3|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=May 9, 1990|access-date=June 2, 2012}}</ref> Although Canadian, his mother had American and French ancestry.{{sfn|Young|1997|p=16}} Young's parents married in 1940 in [[Winnipeg]], Manitoba, and moved to Toronto shortly thereafter where their first son, Robert "Bob" Young, was born in 1942.

Shortly after Young's birth in 1945, the family moved to rural [[Omemee, Ontario]], which Young later described fondly as a "sleepy little place".{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=22–42}} Young contracted [[polio]] in the late summer of 1951 during the last major outbreak of the disease in Ontario, and as a result, became partially paralyzed on his left side.{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=44-46}} After the conclusion of his hospitalization, the Young family wintered in Florida because they believed its mild weather would help Neil's convalescence.{{sfn|McDonough|2002|p=46}} During that period, Young briefly attended Faulkner Elementary School in [[New Smyrna Beach, Florida]]. In 1952, upon returning to Canada, Young moved from Omemee to [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] (1956) and then lived for a year in Winnipeg (where he would later return) before relocating to Toronto (1957–1960). While in Toronto, he briefly attended [[Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute]] as a first-year student in 1959.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goddard |first1=John |title=Neil Young's Childhood Friend Walks Down Memory Lane |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2009/05/30/neil_youngs_childhood_friend_walks_down_memory_lane.html |newspaper=The Toronto Star |date=May 30, 2009 |access-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref> According to rumor, he was expelled for riding a motorcycle down the hall of the school.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Town Crier Staff |title=Lawrence Park to Be a Party School |url=https://streeter.ca/toronto/news/lawrence-park-to-be-a-party-school/ |website=Streeter |date=May 10, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref> He also became interested in the popular music he heard on the radio.{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=46–54}}

When he was 12, his father, who had had several extramarital affairs, left his mother. She asked for a divorce, which was granted in 1960.<ref>{{cite web|last=Unger|first=Andrew|url=http://ballastmag.com/2012/09/winnipeg-vs-toronto-for-neil-young/|title=Winnipeg Vs. Toronto for Neil Young|work=Ballast Magazine|date=September 24, 2012|access-date=September 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518072541/http://ballastmag.com/2012/09/winnipeg-vs-toronto-for-neil-young/|archive-date=May 18, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> She moved back to Winnipeg with Neil joining her there, while his brother, Bob, stayed with their father in Toronto.{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=55–68}}

During the mid-1950s, Young listened to [[rock and roll|rock 'n roll]], [[rockabilly]], [[doo-wop]], [[rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[Country music|country]], and western pop. He idolized [[Elvis Presley]] and later referred to him in a number of his songs.<ref>Ostrosser, David. "Neil Young Interview on Guitars." ''Guitare & Claviers Magazine''. Neil Young News, April 17, 1992. Web.</ref> Other early musical influences included [[Link Wray]],<ref>{{YouTube|id=_tDsDnr18PM&list=RD_tDsDnr18PM|title=Documentary Don't Be Denied 3 minutes 20 seconds}}</ref> [[Lonnie Mack]],<ref>Kent, "The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings On Rock Music, Updated Edition", Da Capo Press, 2002, {{ISBN|978-0-306-81182-1}}, p. 299 (in which Young calls Mack a "big early influence"). Also, "Neil didn't have a whole lot of records but he had the first Lonnie Mack album called The Wham of That Memphis Man! He knew every f**kin' note of that LP and you'll hear them in Neil Young soloing." Harvey Kubernick, quoting music producer Denny Bruce in {{cite news |title=The Creative Energy Behind Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" |work=Goldmine Magazine |date=November 12, 2020 |url=https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/the-creative-energy-behind-neil-youngs-everybody-knows-this-is-nowhere |access-date=November 16, 2021 }}</ref> [[Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs]], [[The Ventures]], [[Cliff Richard]] and [[the Shadows]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/neilyoung/ |title=Neil Young: Don't Be Denied. – Homepage |publisher=BBC |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=April 24, 2020}}</ref> [[Chuck Berry]], [[Hank Marvin]], [[Little Richard]], [[Fats Domino]], [[The Chantels]], [[The Monotones]], [[Ronnie Self]], the [[The Fleetwoods|Fleetwoods]], [[Jerry Lee Lewis]], [[Johnny Cash]], [[Roy Orbison]], and [[Gogi Grant]].{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=52–53}} Young began to play music on a plastic [[ukulele]], before, as he would later relate, going on to "a better ukulele to a banjo ukulele to a baritone ukulele – everything but a guitar."{{sfn|McDonough|2002|pp=58–59}}