Jesse Colin Young

One of the Youngblood members…

Jesse Colin Young, critically acclaimed solo artist and lead singer of the legendary classic rock band, The Youngbloods, took the nation by storm when The Youngblood’s single GET TOGETHER became a worldwide Top 10 hit and a prominent soundtrack for peace.

After seven group releases, Young began the production of more than 15 acclaimed solo albums including SONG FOR JULI, LIGHT SHINE, SONGBIRD and a live album with his great touring band titled ON THE ROAD.

Jesse was born and raised in Queens, New York in 1941, and his earliest family memories are filled with the joy of music and celebration. His mother was a violinist who had a beautiful singing voice of perfect pitch, and his father was a Harvard- educated accountant with a passion for classical music. Along with his older sister, the family spent evenings gathered around the piano singing Harvard fight songs and other lively tunes.

At 15, the talented student won a scholarship to Phillips Andover, the all boys prep school in Massachusetts. The rigorous curriculum and strict discipline the school required ultimately resulted in Jesse being kicked out of the exclusive academy – an event which forever changed the course of his life. The blues were calling his name and the next few years were spent exploring the music of T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters for inspiration and consolation.

Jesse Colin Young recorded his first album in 4 hours, accompanying himself on guitar. That release was called THE SOUL OF A CITY BOY. A second album, YOUNG BLOOD, featured supporting musicians, including John Sebastian. After the two solo albums, Jesse met guitarist Jerry Corbitt on the New York to Boston club circuit, and with keyboardist/guitarist Lowell “Banana” Levinger, and drummer Joe Bauer, they began to perform as The Youngbloods. Though the song GET TOGETHER appeared on their first album in 1967, they re-released it as a single in 1969, after the heartfelt refrain of “Come on people now, smile on your brother” was used as the television theme for the National Council of Christians and Jews. GET TOGETHER became a worldwide Top Ten hit, and was immediately followed into the charts by SUNLIGHT and DARKNESS DARKNESS, both written by Jesse for the ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN release that same year.

Having established legendary status with hit singles and albums, the three remaining Youngbloods (Young, Banana and Bauer) launched their own Raccoon Records, and released four albums between 1970 and 1972; the studio recordings, GOOD & DUSTY, and HIGH ON A RIDGETOP; and two live recordings, ROCK FESTIVAL, and RIDE THE WIND.

Jesse returned to recording solo albums in 1972 and released TOGETHER, which entered the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. In September 1973, Jesse released what many critics claim is his solo masterpiece, SONG FOR JULI. That recording stayed on the Billboard Top 200 chart for nearly a year, and was followed onto the chart by LIGHT SHINE in 1974, SONGBIRD in 1975, ON THE ROAD in 1975, and LOVE ON THE WING in 1976. Each of the aforementioned six Jesse Colin Young solo albums contained breakthrough tracks that received airplay on radio stations across America.

During the upward ride of his exploding solo career during the 1970’s, Jesse also continued giving back by helping establish the “No Nukes” movement. Involved from the very beginning, Jesse closed the 1979 “No Nukes” concert and movie joined by legends Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash singing The Youngblood’s anthem GET TOGETHER.

In 1978, Jesse released AMERICAN DREAMS, an album calling for political involvement, followed by THE PERFECT STRANGER in 1982 with guest stars like Carly Simon. He then returned to acoustic rock with THE HIGHWAY IS FOR HEROES in 1987. Throughout the 1980’s, Jesse continued to tour as a solo artist, often appearing at fundraisers for various organizations, and sometimes performing with original Youngbloods members Jerry Corbitt and Banana (the Youngbloods’ acclaimed drummer Joe Bauer, had sadly passed away prematurely of natural causes).

In 1993, Jesse and his wife Connie, launched their own independent label, Ridgetop Music, from their mountain home in Marin County. They introduced the imprint by releasing a new Jesse Colin Young album of all original material backed by top San Francisco Bay Area musicians, called MAKIN’ IT REAL. The next release would be a very personal collection of mostly solo slack key acoustic songs, SWEPT AWAY. Just as Jesse’s music enterprises were about to blast off with more adventurous recordings, a forest fire engulfed the Ridgetop property in October 1995. The family home and business was completely destroyed, and Jesse moved Connie and their two children to Hawaii with the clothes they had on their backs.

Jesse now has a new mountain home on the Big Island of Hawaii where he and his family have picked up the pieces, healing and creating new memories together. Jesse strives to recapture the state of grace that permeates his music and continues to spread his heartfelt message.

He built a new recording studio at his island home and in 2001 recorded ALOHA E, reflecting upon the events of September 11. That track eventually found its home in his 2004 album release of Hawaiian influenced music, LIVING IN PARADISE. Jesse then released the elegant acoustic, SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS, in which he revisits the Christmas carols of his childhood.

Jesse’s musical accomplishments are many, including performing with Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin in 1969; touring with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the summer of 1974; closing the NO NUKES movie in 1980; and closing the International Peace Awards in 2004. The song GET TOGETHER was heard on the FORREST GUMP soundtrack bought by 13 million people in 1994, and DARKNESS DARKNESS, written by Jesse, was the theme song for the James Cameron movie GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS in 2003.

A cover of the song by Robert Plant won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal in 2003. Throughout his many years of recording and touring, Jesse has also taken the time to dedicate his life to giving back to the world. He has performed on behalf of organizations ranging from the “Dream Foundation” to the “Kona Pacific Waldorf School” (in which Jesse and his wife helped to build, and where they both teach music).

Always holding environmentalism as “a must” ,from the time of The Youngbloods to his current endeavors as a performer and teacher, Jesse has even used solar-powered energy for his concerts! He and his wife also grow organic Kona coffee on their farm in Hawaii. For more information about Jesse and the Young’s organic Kona coffee please visit his website at www.jessecolinyoung.com.

Words and picture from the official website.

Discography

Standing Room Only

CMG Records 2007

Tracks: Sunlight, Grey Day, Four In The Morning, Songbird, Euphoria, Song Of Julia, Ridgetop, La Bamba, Darkness Darkness, Get Together & Sweet Good Times.

Musicians on the Standing Room Only album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Celtic Mambo

Artemis Records 2006

Tracks: To be updated.

Musicians on the Celtic Mambo album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Songs For Christmas

Artemis Records 2006

Tracks: White Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Away In A Manger, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Silent Night, Some Children See Him, Bring A Torch Jeanette Isabella, O Come All Ye Faithful, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, What Child Is This?, O Little Town Of Bethlehem & O Holy Night.

Musicians on the Songs For Christmas album: Jesse Colin Young, Dylan Kai, Connie Young, Ursula Vietze, Marsha Lydiard, Betsy Curtis & Vito Truglio.

The Very Best Of

Artemis Records 2005

Tracks: DISC 1: Hey Babe - (with The Youngbloods), Get Together - (with The Youngbloods), Sunlight - (with The Youngbloods), Sugar Babe, Good Times, It's A Lovely Day, Ridgetop, Song For Juli, California Child, Light Shine, Songbird, Before You Came, Higher & Higher, The Peace Song, Miss Hesitation, T-Bone Shuffle & Darkness Darkness. DISC 2: Eyes On The Prize, Four In The Morning, Sometimes - (with The Youngbloods), Grey Day, The Perfect Stranger, Fight For It, Workin', The Highway Is For Heroes, Do It Slow, Desire, Swept Away, Makin' It Real, You Are The One, Lovin' You, Living In Paradise, Imagine / What's Going On & Sweet Good Times.

Musicians on the The Very Best Of album: Jesse Colin Young, Jerry Corbitt, Betsy Curtis, Carly Simon, Chris Mickle, Eddy Ottenstein, Hank DeVito, Mel Martin, Jim Rothermel, Tom Harrell, Gordon Messick, Scott Lawrence, Banana, Bill Cuomo, David Hayes, Kelly Bryan, Jim Mairs, Cheyenne Young, Jeff Myers, Joe Bauer, Victor Feldman, Felix Pappalardi & The Youngbloods.

Living In Paradise

Artemis Records 2004

Tracks: Living in Paradise, I Can't Help Fallin in Love With You, Imagine/What's Going On?, White Sandy Beaches, You Are The One, Hawaii, My Little Grass Shack in Kealkekua Hawaii, Maui Sunrise, Am I an Island?, Ke ha'a'ala Puna (Jasmine's Chant), Angel MineThe Dolphin Song, Turning Point, Aloha e & The Queen's Prayer.

Musicians on the Living In Paradise album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Walk The Talk

Liquid 8 Records 2003

Tracks: Sweet Good Times, Trouble, Hear The Children, How Long, Keep On Burning, Walk The Talk, Ramblin On My Mind, Dreams About You Baby, Sweet Magnolia, Here Comes The Night & Love Train.

Musicians on the Walk The Talk album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Greatest Hits

Asylum Records 2002

Tracks: Light Shine, Songbird, Morning Sun, Song For Juli, Ridgetop, Get Together, Darkness Darkness, Sunlight, Sugar Babe, Lovely Day, California Child, Dreams About You Baby, How Long & Aloha E.

Musicians on the Liquid 8 album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Songs For Christmas

Liquid 8 Records 2002

Tracks: White Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Away In A Manger, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Silent Night, Some Children See Him, Bring A Torch Jeanette Isabella, O Come All Ye Faithful, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, What Child Is This?, O Little Town Of Bethlehem & O Holy Night.

Musicians on the Songs For Christmas album: Jesse Colin Young, Dylan Kai, Connie Young, Ursula Vietze, Marsha Lydiard, Betsy Curtis & Vito Truglio.

Greatest Hits

Bean Bag Records 2001

Tracks: Light Shine, Songbird, Morning Sun, Song For Juli, Ridgetop, Get Together, Darkness Darkness, Sunlight, Sugar Babe, Lovely Day, California Child, Dreams About You Baby, How Long & Aloha E.

Musicians on the Greatest Hits album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Greatest Hits

Edsel Records 2001

Tracks : Get Together, Darkness Darkness, Light Shine, Ridgetop, Songbird, T-Bone Shuffle, Sunlight, Lovely Day, Grey Day, Sugar Babe, Song For Juli, Workin', The Peace Song & Ramblin' On My Mind.

Musicians on the Greatest Hits album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Greatest Hits

Award Records 1998

Tracks: Get Together, Darkness Darkness, Light Shine, Ridgetop, Songbird, T-Bone Shuffle, Sunlight, Lovely Day, Grey Day, Sugar Babe, Song For Juli, Workin', The Peace Song & Ramblin' On My Mind.

Musicians on the Greatest Hits album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Swept Away

Edsel Records 1997

Tracks: Swept Away, Misty Roses, Love Is The Moment, Cheyenne, Desire, Waterfall, Our Wedding Song, Sweet As A Song, Catfish, Laimana, Street Of Broken Dreams, Spring Is Here & Love Is You.

Musicians on the Swept Away album: Jesse Colin Young, Jerry Cortez, Steve Kindler, Jim Rothermel, Tom Politzer, Tim Haggarty, Tom Shader, Cheyenne Young, Jon Bendich, Michael Spiro, Jeff Narell, Julia Young & Dallis Craft.

Sweetwater

Ridgetop Records 1996

Tracks: Four In The Morning, Frankie And Albert, Sugar Babe, Tristan, Love Is YouWake Up My Love, Before You Came, Light Shine, Ridgetop, Turning Point, Island, T-Bone Shuffle, Get Together, We Can Make It Real, Darkness Darkness & 8 hidden tracks.

Musicians on the Sweetwater album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Crazy Boy

Ridgetop Records 1995

Tracks: Jungle LoverWhen The Sun Goes Down, Darkness Darkness, Turning Point, Crazy Boy, The Beating Of My Heart, Tears, Long Night's Coming, On The Edge & The Cross And The Gun.

Musicians on the Crazy Boy album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Swept Away

Ridgetop Records 1994

Tracks: Swept Away, Misty Roses, Love Is The Moment, Cheyenne, Desire, Waterfall, Our Wedding Song, Sweet As A Song, Catfish, Laimana, Street Of Broken Dreams, Spring Is Here & Love Is You.

Musicians on the Swept Away album: Jesse Colin Young, Jerry Cortez, Steve Kindler, Jim Rothermel, Tom Politzer, Tim Haggarty, Tom Shader, Cheyenne Young, Jon Bendich, Michael Spiro, Jeff Narell, Julia Young & Dallis Craft.

Makin´It Real

Ridgetop Records 1993

Tracks: We Can Make It Real, Island, The Beating Of My Heart, Jungle Lover, Wake Up My Love, Crazy Boy, Tears, Love That Can Last, When The Sun Goes Down, Turning Point, Get Together (bonus track) & Ridgetop (bonus track).

Musicians on the Makin´It Real album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

The Solo Years

Rhino Records 1991

Tracks: Four In The Morning, Doc Geiger, Good Times, Together, Morning Sun, Ridgetop, Song For Juli, Light Shine, Sugar Babe, Josianne, Sunlight (live), T-Bone Shuffle (live), It's A Lovely Day - (bonus track), Miss Hesitation - (bonus track), Before You Came - (bonus track) & Ophelia - (bonus track).

Musicians on the The Solo Years album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

The Highway Is For Heroes

Cypress Records 1987

Tracks: The Highway Is For Heroes, Erica, Young Girls, When You Dance, The Master, Dreams Take Flight, Do It Slow, T-Bone Shuffle & Before You Came.

Musicians on the The Highway Is For Heroes album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

The Perfect Stranger

Elektra Records 1982

Tracks: The Perfect Stranger, Fight For It, Ophelia, Fire On The Water, Long Nights Coming, Jamie, Night School, On The Edge, The Cross And The Gun & The Hawk.

Musicians on the Perfect Stranger album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

American Dreams

Elektra Records 1978

Tracks: Rave On, Slow And Easy, Maui Sunrise, Reveal Your Dreams, Knock On Wood, American Dreams Suite, City Boy, Music In The Streets, Can We Carry On The Dream, Sanctuary & What If We Stay.

Musicians on the American Dreams album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Love On The Wing

Warner Bros 1977

Tracks: Higher And Higher, Love On The Wing, Workin, Hey Good Lookin, Fool, Drift Away, Do it Slow, California Cowboy, Louisiana Highway & You Lovin Hobo.

Musicians on the Love On The Wing album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

On The Road

Warner Bros 1976

Tracks: Sunlight, Walkin' Off the Blues, Peace Song, Miss Hesitation, What's Going On/Mercy Mercy Me, Corinna, Have You Seen My Baby, Ridgetop & T. Bone Shuffle.

Musicians on the On The Road album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Songbird

Warner Bros 1975

Tracks: Songbird, Before You Came, Daniel, Josiane, Again, Slick City, Til You Come Back Home Again, Sugar Babe & Motorhome.

Musicians on the Songbird album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Light Shine

Warner Bros 1974

Tracks: California Child, Grey Day, Light Shine, Pretty And The Fair, Barbados, Motorcycle Blues, The Cuckoo, Susan & (untitled) - (hidden track).

Musicians on the Light Shine album: Jesse Colin Young, Jim Rothermel, Scott Lawrence, Ozzie Ahlers, Kelly Bryan, Marty Davis, Jeffrey Myer, Jerry Corbit & Suzi Young.

Song For Juli

Warner Bros 1973

Tracks: Mornin'sun, Song For Juli, Ridgetop, Evenin', Miss Hesitation, T-Bone Shuffle, Lafayette Waltz, Jambalaya & Country Home.

Musicians on the Song For Juli album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Together

Warner Bros 1972

Tracks: Good Times, Sweet Little Child, Together, Sweet Little 16, Peace Song, 6 Days On The Road, Lovely Day, Creole Belle, 6000 Miles, Born In Chicago & Pastures Of Plenty.

Musicians on the Together album: Jesse Colin Young and others.

Two Trips With Jesse Colin Young

Mercury Records 1970

Tracks: Doc Geiger, Brother Can You Spare A Dime, Hey Babe, Rider, Sometimes, Nobody´s Dirty Business, Walkin´Off The Blues and Another Stranger In Town.

Musicians on the Two Trips With Jesse Colin Young album: Jesse Colin Young and others.