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If Tori Amos had been a feral child, she might have sounded a bit like Kristeen Young. Like Amos, Young has a broad vocal range and a fondness for exploring the upper register, and embraces the piano as her musical instrument, but there's a wildly aggressive emotional energy in her songs, as well as an intelligently transgressive mindset that marks Young as a true original. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Young was sired by parents of Apache and German descent, and adopted at an early age by a couple who had embraced Christian fundamentalism. Young's strict parents strove to keep her away from what they deemed corrupting influences, but as a youngster she developed a passionate interest in music, and after graduating from high school, she attended St. Louis' Webster University, where she studied piano. After completing her education, Young began performing with the bands November 9th and Water Works. While playing in the latter group, Young hit upon the idea of performing in a duo wi...