Joan Baez in NYC in 2016, photo taken by Jim Gilbert
Social justice is the true core of my life,
looming larger than music.
–Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (born 1/9/41) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. She 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. 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. Although a songwriter herself, Baez generally interprets other composers’ work, having recorded songs 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. 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.
Discography:
| Studio albums |
25 |
|---|---|
| Live albums |
15 |
| Compilation albums |
23 |
| Video albums |
7 |
| EPs |
4 |
| Singles |
35 |
| Soundtrack albums |
4 |
Some things to share:
Baez was born in Staten Island, New York, on January 9, 1941. Her grandfather, the Reverend Alberto Baez, left the Catholic Church to become a Methodist minister and moved to the U.S. when her father was two years old. Her father, Albert Baez (1912–2007), was born in Puebla, Mexico, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his father preached to—and advocated for—a Spanish-speaking congregation. Albert first considered becoming a minister but instead turned to the study of mathematics and physics and received his PhD degree at Stanford University in 1950. Albert was later credited as a co-inventor of the x-ray microscope. Joan’s cousin, John C. Baez, is a mathematical physicist. Her mother, Joan Chandos Baez (née Bridge), referred to as Joan Senior or “Big Joan”, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the second daughter of an English Anglican priest who claimed to be descended from the Dukes of Chandos.
The Baez family converted to Quakerism during Joan’s early childhood, and she has continued to identify with the tradition, particularly in her commitment to pacifism and social issues. While growing up, Baez was subjected to racial slurs and discrimination because of her Mexican heritage. Consequently, she became involved with a variety of social causes early in her career. She declined to play in any white student venues that were segregated, which meant that when she toured the Southern states, she would play only at black colleges.
Owing to her father’s work with UNESCO, their family moved many times, living in towns across the U.S. as well as in England, France, Switzerland, Spain, Canada, and the Middle East, including Iraq. Joan Baez became involved with a variety of social causes early in her career, including civil rights and non-violence.
Official website: here
Source: wikipedia
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I want no part of her politics. I’m on the opposing team. I have always enjoyed her music though.
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Larry, what part of her politics are you on the other side of? I thought social justice was a good side to be on?
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She’s so liberal. I see social justice(which can be good when it’s not fanatical) as a euphemism for liberalism and Marxism. My experience has always told me it is used so excessively by ideological fanatics
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Larry, you are being a talking head right now. Give me some specific examples. Aren’t soup kitchens a form of Marxism?
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No soup kitchens are a form of helping people legitimately. Marxism is ,by its very nature, always violent
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Are you saying you believe that Joan Baez is a Marxist?
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I don’t know enough about her but she has always been such a liberal. ’60’s folk music, poetry, art, etc was always a stomping ground for Marxists among other politically charged leftist movements.
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Baez performed early in her career at the legendary Club 47 (now Club Passim, one of my favorite venues when I was younger and went out to do things) in Cambridge where she became known not just for her songs but for kicking off her shoes while she performed.
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Liam, thank you for your insider info on Joan. How wonderful you’ve been in a place where she’s performed. What kind of place is Club Passim?
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It’s a small room with brick floors that’s below street level. I was told it was originally used as a stable. I went to a lot of shows there back in the late 90s to mid 00s, and volunteered there too. Saw a lot of great artists, but not Joan Baez, as she was well before my time.
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I love hearing her sing, and Diamonds and Rust is a favorite! 🙂
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It’s a great song!
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Great pick! Joan Baez is a pretty amazing lady in my book with an impressive 60-year-plus career and counting.
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Glad you like her. Wikipedia has a lot of info on her. One of her parents is Scottish and another is Mexican.
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Joan has a great voice. When she goes up in pitch…she GOES up! Her and Dylan sounded really good together. She complimented him really well…it smoothed him out a lot.
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Yes she does and I wasn’t really in favor of that duo but I understand why it worked.
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You had a fantastic voice and Bob…in a way it shouldn’t have worked… but they were passionate and meant what they were doing.
Can I make a suggestion for next March? If you like her? I always enjoy your March.
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Max absolutely make any suggestions you want for next March, I’ve still got a bunch of openings for it.
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Thank you, Lisa…I really enjoy this series… my nominee is… Maria McKee. One of my favorite female singers of the 80s.
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You’re welcome. Have you done any posts on Maria McKee? Why isn’t her name ringing a bell for me?
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Not just on her no…she was in a band called Lone Justice…I have done a few posts on them. She started off with country, country punk, rock and roll, pop…about everything.
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Good to know!
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I always enjoy reading the comments even if they sometimes leave me scratching my head in confusion. But you handle things well.
Joan has always been both a wonderful musician and an advocate for those without a voice. I love especially her album of all Dylan tunes. “Love is Just a Four Letter Word” is a particular favorite.
And I’m going to suggest Patty Griffen if you haven’t covered her yet. (K)
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Very neat to learn she made an album of all Dylan tunes. Of course I had to go out and listen to “Love is Just a Four Letter Word” and I can see why you like it:
I have added Patty Griffen to the list for 2023 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion.
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Thanks for the music!
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Beautiful article on Joan Baez ! Well shared with beautiful video thanks for sharing 😊👌💕
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Thank you so much and my pleasure, Priti.
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i like her. she’s great. xo
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