"Is everything alright?" - Tee Dee Young: Lexington’s Monday Night Blues Legend

Tee Dee Young “firing down on the guitar” during a live blues performance. For nearly 30 years, Monday nights in Lexington have meant one thing: the electrifying blues of Tee Dee Young at a little club on East Second Street. Each week, as the workday ends and dusk settles, the soulful wail of Tee Dee’s guitar spills out onto the sidewalk, drawing in everyone within earshot. Inside, a diverse crowd of all ages comes together – feet tapping and heads nodding in unison – as Tee Dee does what he does best: make the blues come alive. Local fans aren’t the only ones who know how special these nights are.

In fact, Tee Dee Young is often described as a “true, distinguished ‘legend in his own time, and anyone who’s seen him command the stage with his energy and smile would surely agree.

Bluegrass Blues Born n Raised

Tavares “Tee Dee” Young is Lexington born-and-bred, growing up near the historic Pralltown community of the city. He discovered the blues early – at age 13 you could find him sitting by the railroad tracks after school, learning guitar licks from a kindly older musician named Harrison

Tee Dee’s love of music was a family affair as well. His father, Leonard Young, was a gospel singer whose powerful voice filled their home, and his older brother George urged young Tee Dee never to change his unique style of. All those influences mixed together to set Tee Dee on a path that would shape his life’s journey in music.

By the time he was 14, Tee Dee had formed his own band – a fearless teenager eager to play for any audience that would listen. He’d perform in basements, backyard parties, talent shows, and even sneak in through back doors of clubs that normally wouldn’t allow a minor, just for the chance to hone his craft. That fearless drive paid off. Remarkably, by the age of 13 he was already performing in sold-out arenas, opening shows for some of the nation’s top touring acts. In the mid-1970s (barely out of his teens), Tee Dee and his brothers even traveled to Indiana to open for the one and only Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a young bluesman. These early experiences – from jamming in Lexington clubs to sharing stages with pop superstars – set the stage for Tee Dee Young’s evolution from local prodigy to bona fide blues legend.

Sharing Stages with the Greats

As Tee Dee’s reputation grew, so did the caliber of artists he worked with. In the decades that followed, he found himself opening for and performing alongside legendary figures in blues, R&B, and soul. We’re talking true music royalty: he’s shared the stage with blues icons like Albert King and Guitar Shorty, soul and R&B legends like Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown, and too many others to name. At one show he might back Sir Mack Rice on a rousing rendition of “Mustang Sally,” and at another he’d be playing guitar while Eddie Floyd sang “Knock on Wood,” the crowd roaring in approval.

Through each collaboration, Tee Dee held his own with a style that was 100% him – deeply authentic to the blues tradition yet unafraid to infuse his own flair. “What makes Tee Dee unique is the style in which he plays the Blues… oblivious to current industry trends. His guitar is a weapon, wielded with total authority,” one profile notes, celebrating his sheer virtuosity on stage. In other words, whether he was trading licks with a Grammy-winning artist or belting out a solo in a hometown bar, Tee Dee Young always played from the heart – and people felt it.

From Beale Street to Belgium: Taking Blues Worldwide

By the 1980s, Tee Dee Young had firmly established himself as a powerhouse on the American blues circuit – and he soon took his music around the world. He toured internationally, bringing his Kentucky blues to fans across Europe in countries like Italy, France, Germany, and Belgium. Even as he wowed crowds overseas, he kept racking up accomplishments back home. In 2011, Tee Dee headed down to Memphis – a city synonymous with blues – and became a finalist at the prestigious International Blues Challenge, showcasing his talent among the world’s best. That same year on Memphis’s famed Beale Street, he earned the title of “Beale Street Blues King,” a crown bestowed by the local association of blues clubs.

It was official: Tee Dee Young had the blues in his blood, and the world was taking notice.

His growing fame didn’t make him forget his roots, though. Even as he played historic venues like the Cotton Club in New York or Kingston Mines in Chicago during his younger days, Tee Dee carried the soulful sounds of Lexington with him. Whether he was in a Parisian jazz hall or a Southern juke joint, audiences could feel that genuine Bluegrass blues flavor in his music. Cherished original songs like “I’ve Got To Move” and “One Foot In and One Foot Out” became fan favorites, and his emotionally charged guitar style spoke a universal language. In short, Tee Dee Young grew from a local sensation into a global ambassador of blues, spreading Kentucky’s musical heritage far and wide – and earning new fans at every stop along the way.

A Trophy Case of Accolades

Over the years, Tee Dee Young’s extraordinary talent and contributions have been recognized with many honors. Here are just a few highlights from his trophy case of accolades:

• Beale Street Blues King (2011): Crowned by the Beale Street Merchants Association in Memphis.

• Kentucky’s Best Blues Band: Voted Best Blues Band in Kentucky by the Kentucky Blues Society (2011)

• Lexington Music Awards – Best Blues Artist (2015): Won “Best Blues Artist” in his hometown – an award now renamed the “Tee Dee Young Blues Award” in his honor

• “Tee Dee Young Day” (2017): The City of Lexington officially declared September 13 as Tee Dee Young Day, a testament to his local impact

• Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Inductee (2022): Inducted among the state’s all-time musical greats

• Governor’s Award in the Arts – Folk Heritage (2023): Received Kentucky’s highest arts award for folk and traditional arts, honoring his lifetime of preserving and sharing the blues.

These accolades paint a clear picture: Tee Dee Young is not just a local hero; he’s a Kentucky music icon. Few artists anywhere have a music award named after them or a day on the calendar dedicated to them – but Tee Dee has both, thanks to the love and respect he’s earned through a lifetime of blues.

The Home He Built: Lexington’s Monday Night Tradition

The Monday night blues show at Tee Dee’s Lounge has become a beloved Lexington tradition. After touring the country and playing with the greats, Tee Dee Young could have settled down anywhere – but he chose to invest right back into his hometown. In the early 1980s, he stepped into a new role as a local entrepreneur and opened his own music club: the Bluegrass Progressive Club, located at 266 E. Second Street in Lexington. The venue (affectionately known to locals as Tee Dee’s Lounge) started off humbly. In the early days, Young would leave the front door open during band practice, and people passing by would wander in, lured by the “siren sounds” of live blues pouring into the street. What began as an open-door rehearsal soon grew into a community institution. This unassuming club became the place to be on Monday nights – a weekly house party of blues that’s still going strong decades later.

Today, the Monday night tradition at Tee Dee’s Lounge is the stuff of local legend. If Tee Dee is in town (when he’s not on the road with his band or collecting awards), you can count on him to hit the stage by 8:00 p.m. every Monday and ignite a three-hour blues extravaganza. For just a $5 cover at the door, regulars and first-timers alike pack into the cozy venue to hear world-class blues in an intimate, no-frills setting. The atmosphere is electric yet welcoming – you might see University of Kentucky students bobbing heads next to retirees who’ve followed Tee Dee for 30 years, all swaying together when the band kicks into a fan favorite tune. “I’m on the stage and I watch my audience and I see how everybody just mingles and comes together and I love that,” Young says, describing the magic he witnesses each week. “I love playing music and I love to see people smile… music brings everybody together,” he adds, a simple truth that you can genuinely feel in the room on those Monday nights.

Indeed, the sense of community at Tee Dee’s Lounge is as important as the music itself – under the spell of the blues, strangers become friends and everyone leaves a little happier than they came.

What makes this scene even more special is Tee Dee Young himself. Despite all his fame and accolades, he remains incredibly giving and down-to-earth. He doesn’t just perform for the community; he performs with the community. It’s not unusual for him to invite an up-and-coming local guitarist or a young singer onto the stage, giving them a chance to shine and learn. Over the years, Tee Dee has mentored countless younger musicians – sharing his knowledge, encouraging them to dig deep into the blues, and stressing the importance of understanding the genre’s rich history.

Introducing the younger generation to blues will keep the genre alive, he believes, and he lives that mission every day. This generous spirit has turned Tee Dee’s Lounge into more than a nightclub; it’s a training ground and sanctuary for blues in Lexington, where the torch is constantly being passed to new talent.

As Lexington’s very own blues ambassador, Tee Dee Young has created something truly special. He’s a globe-trotting, award-winning artist who could easily rest on his laurels, yet he chooses to spend his Monday nights sweating it out on a small stage in Kentucky – all to bring joy to his neighbors and keep the music he loves alive. In doing so, he’s not only built a loyal local following, but also woven himself into the cultural fabric of the city. When you walk into that club on a Monday and hear Tee Dee’s guitar crying out that first note, you’re not just attending a show – you’re joining a family of blues lovers united by the moment. And as the man himself will tell you with a smile, music brings everybody together. Lexington is grateful to have Tee Dee Young bringing us together, one bluesy Monday night at a time.