 Along
with Allen Mills,
Dempsey Young is a surviving
member of the original band as it was formed in 1973. He plays mandolin,
sings baritone, and assists with arranging material for the band. His early
musical experiences were with rock music, where he played for summer
cruises at the beach. In the early 1970's he teamed up with Roger Handy
(another founding member of the Lost & Found) to form a band called
the Newgrass Express. For several years in a row in the early 1970's, Dempsey
won first place in the mandolin competition at the Galax, Virginia Fiddlers
Convention, which is the oldest and largest competition held. Dempsey’s
mandolin style is one of a kind.  You
can hear him play half a break and if you know anything about bluegrass
music, you know who it is without question. Allen Mills' vocal and
Dempsey's mandolin are the key ingredients to the Lost & Found sound.
More than a few of the group's songs start off with the deep rich tone
that Dempsey pulls out of his mandolin and all of them are classics. Songs
like Drifting With The Tide, The Rabbit Song, Why Do You
Weep Dear Willow, just to name a few. All are trademark
breaks that won’t be beat any time soon.
In over twenty-seven years of traveling, Dempsey has never missed a show. That is a lot of shows and a lot of dedication. He handles many of the all night shifts, driving the band to the next town, and never complaining, because he knows that is just part of the business. The other guys in the band call him the all night man. A large percentage of the twenty-seven years worth of shows, the “All NIGHT MAN” got the band there on time. (How many cups of coffee is that?)
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