Dino Valenti Gets Together

“Let’s Get Together” is one of the 1960s’ most recognizable songs, particularly the version done by the Youngbloods.  We should also recognize the name Dino Valenti since it was he who penned the song.

Valenti may or may not have written another staple of the era, “Hey Joe.” There seems to be some fuzziness surrounding that. It may be a reworked traditional song or a song written by Billy Roberts and Len Partridge who “gave” the song to Valenti while Valenti was in jail (marijuana charges) to help Valenti financially.

To add to a bit of the confusion that can surround Valenti, one should also know that he was born Chester William “Chet” Powers, Jr.  on October 7, 1937 and was also known as a songwriter as Jesse Oris Farrow.

He was the lead singer of the outstanding Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Dino Valenti Gets Together

Kingston Trio

It was on this date, June 1, 1964 that the Kingston Trio released “Let’s Get Together” on their Back to Town album. If you were a Kingston Trio fan and bought the album, then you would have become familiar with the song.

The album reached #22 on Billboard Pop Album charts.

Kingston Trio singing “Let’s Get Together” from their Back in Town album.

Dino Valenti Gets Together

Dino Valenti 

Here is Dino Valenti singing the song himself:

Dino Valenti Gets Together

We Five

The We Five (of “You Were On My Mind” fame) covered the song in 1965, but it still didn’t catch on.

Dino Valenti Gets Together

Youngbloods

Even in 1967 when Jesse Colin Young and the Youngbloods did what became the definitive version, it did not do that well commercially– reaching #62 on the charts.

Fortuitously for the song and them, the song became part of a Public Service Announcement and re-energized their version which was re-released in 1969 and finally established deep roots in American music.

Dino Valenti died on November 16, 1994. He was 51.

Dino Valenti Gets Together