Andy Kim

Andy Kim
Andy Kim in 1970
Background information
Birth name	Andrew Youakim
Born	5 December, probably 1946 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres	Pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1963–present
Website	www.andykimmusic.com

Andrew Youakim, performing as Andy Kim, is a Canadian pop rock singer and songwriter. He grew up in Montreal, Quebec. He is known for a number of hits that he released in the late 1960s and 1970s, such as "Rock Me Gently", which topped the US singles chart in 1974. He co-wrote "Sugar, Sugar" for The Archies; it was #1 for four weeks and was "Record of the Year" for 1969.

He has recorded under the stage name Baron Longfellow since the mid-1980s or just as Longfellow in the early 1990s.

Andy Youakim was born in Montreal, Quebec, on 5 December in either 1946 (as cited by VH1, United Press International, and Rolling Stone), or 1952 (as cited by sources including Allmusic and Billboard Books). Various published interviews with Kim from the mid-1970s support the 1946 dating, while Kim's current biography on his official website offers no specific year of birth.

Youakim is the third of four sons of Lebanese immigrants. He moved to New York to pursue a career in music. If the 1952 birthdate is correct, then he was only 10 or 11 when he issued his first single in 1963. He recorded as "Andy Kim", using the different last name as a way to obscure his Lebanese ethnicity, though on his earliest releases he still used the name "Youakim" in the writing credits.

In 1968, after minor recording successes over the previous few years, Kim released the single "How'd We Ever Get This Way?" on the Steed label; it just missed the U.S. Top 20, reaching number 21.

Also in 1968, with Jeff Barry, Kim co-wrote "Sugar, Sugar" which was a hit single for The Archies, reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and ultimately becoming the RIAA Record of the Year. Kim & Barry wrote more songs for the Archies, and also for Changes, from The Monkees in 1970, which Barry produced.

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