Jesse Colin Young, a musician with the band Youngbloods, died on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 83. He was the first artist to perform live on WYEP in 1974.
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On May 9, 1974, Jesse Colin Young, former leader of folk-rock band The Youngbloods, visited WYEP's original home on Cable Place in Oakland for the station's first-ever live on-air performance.
Young was in town to open for The Eagles at the Syria Mosque, and he stopped by the station for a 35-minute interview and live acoustic set with WYEP co-founder Jeff Smith in front of a very small audience.
In celebration of WYEP's 50th anniversary this year, we revisited this historic performance and conducted a new interview with Jesse Colin Young, hosted by Rosemary Welsch, discussing that moment in his career and what's happened since.
Listen as we share segments from the original 1974 broadcast, interspersed with our present-day interview with Jesse Colin Young.