Jesse Colin Young, Singer Who Urged Us to ‘Get Together,' Dies at 83
His death was announced by his publicist, Michael Jensen, who did not specify a cause.
Mr. Young didn't write 'Get Together.' It was composed by the folk singer Dino Valenti, later a member of the band Quicksilver Messenger Service, under the pseudonym Chet Powers. But Mr. Young's voice idealized it.
He also composed many other key pieces of the Youngbloods' repertoire during their prime in the late 1960s, including the brooding 'Darkness, Darkness,' which reflected the terror he imagined American soldiers were experiencing during the Vietnam War; 'Sunlight,' a ravishing ode to passionate love; and 'Ride the Wind,' a jazzy paean to freedom.
The lyrics to many of Mr. Young's songs celebrated the gifts nature gives, from the dreamy play of sunlight on skin to the unfettered sweep of wind in the hair.
'Love of the natural world is as much a theme in my music as romantic love,' he told the website Music Aficionado in 2016. 'I get more out of walking over the ridgetop in Marin and looking out at the national seashore than any drugs I ever did' — a reference to the Northern California county where he lived for much of his career.
Mr. Young's voice was as sensuous as his words. Blessed with a boyishly high pitch, and with the ability to bend a lyric with the ease that a great dancer uses to navigate a delicate move, he balanced his innocent character with a sophisticated musicality. His phrasing, like his composing, drew from a wealth of genres, including folk, jug band music, psychedelia, R&B and jazz, both traditional and modern. The same sources informed his solo work, notably a string of successful albums he released in the mid-1970s, including 'Light Shine' and 'Songbird,' each of which broke Billboard's Top 40.
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Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
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Based on New Thought philosophies and the age-old concept of manifestation, Byrne's brand of positivity offered something uniquely American: a promise that personal desire, if focused correctly, could translate into financial success, romantic relationships, or even health. The book's appeal was amplified by the Oprah effect—Byrne was featured twice on The Oprah Winfrey Show , instantly turning The Secret into a household name. But this was not merely a stroke of luck. Byrne's team had a meticulously prepared U.S. strategy: targeted marketing, viral DVD sales, and syndication-ready messaging that aligned perfectly with American consumer psychology, particularly in the post-9/11 era of anxiety and economic uncertainty. From self-publishing to global licensing: The monetisation of belief Initially self-published in DVD format in Australia, The Secret took a calculated leap into the U.S. through Byrne's independent media company, Prime Time Productions. 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Two decades later, the Rhonda Byrne business model has evolved into a long-term revenue machine powered by repackaged content, re-releases, and evergreen messaging that continues to sell to new audiences. Product diversification: Beyond books and documentaries Byrne didn't stop with The Secret . Follow-ups like The Power , The Magic , and Hero were timed strategically for holiday seasons in the U.S., often bundled with journals, vision boards, or guided affirmations. These books were not standalone projects; they functioned as modular expansions of the same core message, enabling customers to buy into a continuity marketing loop. By 2020, Netflix premiered The Secret: Dare to Dream , a feature-length film starring Katie Holmes. The movie wasn't just content—it was an elaborate content marketing tool reinforcing the brand's legitimacy for a younger, more digitally native U.S. audience. Every product served a dual purpose: revenue and lead generation for future sales. 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Her brand preceded the modern wellness boom, prefigured the influencer monetisation playbook, and created a repeatable framework for how spiritual ideas can thrive in America's digital economy. Like Calm or Headspace, Byrne built a business not from tangible products, but from an emotional and cognitive experience. The difference? She did it before mobile apps or Instagram ever existed. As U.S. consumers continue to spend billions on spiritual self-help, Rhonda Byrne's model remains a blueprint for monetising metaphysics—one that continues to shape the future of belief-driven capitalism in America. This article is intended for informational and editorial purposes only. It does not constitute endorsement or promotion of any individual, company, or entity mentioned. Business Upturn makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided.
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an hour ago
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UPI
an hour ago
- UPI
Look: Busta Rhymes gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
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