Younger, Stanley Kevin
Sky (Stanley Kevin) Younger was born March 27, 1957, in Fresno, CA to Delores Krantz Younger and Stan Younger. He died October 6, 2021, in Centerville, TN.
Sky is survived by his son Cole Younger, Rapid City, SD and granddaughter Hope Black Bear Younger of St. Francis, SD. His life partner Lydia Mc Daniel. His sisters Celeste Peery and Felicia Harris, nieces Sarah Peery and Lacey Harris, nephews John (JP) Peery, Daniel Harris and Darren Harris. He was preceded in death by his parents Stanley B. Younger and Delores V. Krantz Younger, grandparents John Carl “Jack” Younger and Anna Rose Beever Younger and William Oliver Krantz and Martha Mae Reeves Krantz.
Sky grew up hunting, fishing and riding motorcycles. He attended school in Clovis, CA where he graduated mid-term with the Class of 1975 at Clovis High School. He managed his Dads motorcycle sales business, Motorcycles Unlimited after graduation. He was an expert motorcycle racer on the Central Valley circuit. Sky joined the Navy on the Buddy System with his friend and race buddy Kenny Thiebaud. He later drove truck in Madera, CA, hung sheet rock and other jobs while he pursued his first love, music. He was a well-loved and talented singer/songwriter and guitar player.
After being injured on a job, he went to Lane Community College and got his degree in Radio Broadcasting and was a DJ at the local Cottage Grove, OR radio station.
He married Gwen Caldwell in Fresno, CA in 1987 and to that union his only child Cole Younger was born. After their divorce he moved to Tennessee to focus on his music career. There he met Lydia Mc Daniel and they shared their lives together until his death.
For those who didn’t know Sky before he became a musician here’s the back story…He had an old guitar and Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger album. He played it for hours every day until he had every note of every song down to perfection. Yes, as humble as he was, he was a perfectionist when it came to his music. Thats how he taught himself to play guitar.
He was pretty much a closet musician (with his Mom being his biggest fan) until the KNAX Country Showdown was coming to Fresno. He went to see every live band in at least four counties to hand pick the band he wanted to play with him in that Showdown. Sky Younger & the Ghost Riders emerged and took the place by storm three bars into their first song! The rest is history. Sky was a brilliant song writer and musician. He opened for people like Don Williams, Lacy J Dalton and Bobby Bare. He played on Rosie Carter’s The Wildwood Rose Album and performed with Johnny Cash in his last live performance.
For those who would like to enjoy Skys music Youtube has two of his albums Angel Workx and Crossroads along with various other videos available.
When God calls me home, write these words on my stonestill waiting for my time
Service arrangements are pending.