Tab Hunter with Billy Vaughn’s Orchestra and Chorus entered the UK charts at number one on the week beginning 22nd February 1957 and enjoyed its place on the top for seven weeks with the song young love.

The first recorded version of the song was was by one of the two eventual writers as a solo project, Ric Cartey. The Rockabilly singer, Sonny James, picked it up and when his version appeared in the charts, Randy Wood, the record label Dot Records owner, asked Tab Hunter to do another recording. They then raced up the US charts with vocals from Sonny James, looking like they might make the top first only to be replaced by Tab Hunter For six more weeks. Sonny however, only reached number 11 at best, but it did become one of the first ever songs to be in two places in the top twenty simultaneously.

Hunter did not have much of a singing voice but he could get by with this easy-listening song and some of its follow ups, ’99 Ways’ (US number 11, UK number 5). He continued to record almost sporadically and despite appearances in musicals, Damn Yankees, (1958) and The Life and Times Of Judge Roy Bean, as well as Grease 2 in the early 1990’s, he was somehow considered to appear in low budget and more down market roles.

Tab Hunter is currently narrating the TV series, Hollywood On Horses and published a best selling autobiography on 2004.