Joan Baez

For the album, see Joan Baez (album).

Joan Baez
Baez in 2016
Background information
Birth nameJoan Chandos Baez
Born (1941-01-09) January 9, 1941 (age 83)
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • activist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1958–present
Labels
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1968; div. 1973)​
Websitewww.joanbaez.com Edit this at Wikidata

Joan Chandos Baez (/baɪz/ BYZE,[1][2] Spanish: [ˈbaes]; born January 9, 1941[3]) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist.[4] Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice.[5] Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more than 30 albums.

Baez is generally regarded as a folk singer, but her music has diversified since the counterculture era of the 1960s and encompasses genres such as folk rock, pop, country, and gospel music. She began her recording career in 1960 and achieved immediate success. Her first three albums, Joan Baez, Joan Baez, Vol. 2 and Joan Baez in Concert, all achieved gold record status.[6] Although a songwriter herself, Baez generally interprets others' work,[7] having recorded many traditional songs and songs written by the Allman Brothers Band, the Beatles, Jackson Browne, Leonard Cohen, Woody Guthrie, Violeta Parra, the Rolling Stones, Pete Seeger, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and many others. She was one of the first major artists to record the songs of Bob Dylan in the early 1960s; Baez was already an internationally celebrated artist and did much to popularize his early songwriting efforts.[8][9] Her tumultuous relationship with Dylan later became the subject of songs from both and generated much public speculation.[10] On her later albums she has found success interpreting the work of more recent songwriters, including Ryan Adams, Josh Ritter, Steve Earle, Natalie Merchant, and Joe Henry.

Baez's acclaimed songs include "Diamonds & Rust" and covers of Phil Ochs's "There but for Fortune" and the Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". She is also known for "Farewell, Angelina", "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word", "Forever Young", "Here's to You", "Joe Hill", "Sweet Sir Galahad" and "We Shall Overcome". Baez performed fourteen songs at the 1969 Woodstock Festival and has displayed a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in the fields of nonviolence, civil rights, human rights, and the environment.[11] Baez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017.[12]

  1. ^ Baez, Joan (2009), And A Voice to Sing With: A Memoir, New York City: Simon & Schuster, p. 61, I gave Time a long-winded explanation of the pronunciation of my name which came out wrong, was printed wrong in Time magazine, and has been pronounced wrong ever since. It's not "Buy-ezz"; it's more like "Bize," but never mind.
  2. ^ Wells, J. C. (2000). "Baez 'baɪez; baɪ'ez —but the singer Joan Baez prefers baɪz". Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow, England: Pearson Education Ltd.
  3. ^ "UPI Almanac for Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020". United Press International. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020. …singer Joan Baez in 1941 (age 79)
  4. ^ Westmoreland-White, Michael L. (February 23, 2003). "Joan Baez: Nonviolence, Folk Music, and Spirituality". Every Church A Peace Church. Archived from the original on July 22, 2004. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  5. ^ Jackson, Ernie. "Folk Guitarists". Joelma The Everything Guitar Book Joelma. F+W Publications Inc., 2007. Print.
  6. ^ Ruhlemann, William (May 6, 2009). "Joan Baez – Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  7. ^ Hansen, Liane (September 7, 2008). "Joan Baez: Playing For 'Tomorrow'". NPR. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017. Reinterpreting other musicians' songs is nothing new to Baez, who says she considers herself more an interpreter than a songwriter.
  8. ^ Howell, Peter (2009). "Joan Baez gets her apology". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  9. ^ Broadus, Ray; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0879728212.
  10. ^ "The song Joan Baez wrote about her breakup with Bob Dylan". faroutmagazine.co.uk. January 5, 2022. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  11. ^ Brown, Mick (September 15, 2009). "Joan Baez interview". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  12. ^ "Inductees: Joan Baez". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.