Joan Baez Biography: Joan Baez, born on January 9, 1941, in Staten Island, New York, is a famous American folk singer and political activist. She played a big role in getting young people interested in folk music during the 1960s. Even though the folk music trend faded over time, Baez remained a popular artist well into the 21st century. By touring with younger musicians around the world and staying active in political causes, she connected with new fans both in the U.S. and internationally. Her dedication and unique voice continued to earn her praise.
Joan Baez Biography/Wikipedia, Profile
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Joan Baez Career
Joan Baez is the daughter of a physicist with Mexican roots, which meant her family moved around a lot for his work in New York, California, and other places. Because of this, she didn’t have much formal music training. She started out playing the ukulele but quickly picked up the guitar to accompany her beautiful soprano voice. Her first solo album, titled Joan Baez, came out in 1960. Some people thought her voice was too pretty, but her youthful charm and passion for activism helped her stand out during the folk music revival of the 1960s. She made traditional songs popular by performing in coffeehouses, music festivals, and on TV, and her albums were bestsellers from 1960 to 1964. Baez also played a key role in Bob Dylan’s early career, and they were in a romantic relationship for a few years. (Their relationship, along with her connection to her sister and brother-in-law, the folk duo Mimi and Richard Fariña, is detailed in David Hajdu’s book Positively 4th Street [2001].) Two of her most famous songs are her 1971 cover of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by the Band and her own song “Diamonds and Rust,” which she recorded for her well-received album of the same name released in 1975.
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In the 1960s, Baez was really involved in protests. She performed free concerts for UNESCO, civil rights groups, and anti-Vietnam War events. In 1964, she decided not to pay federal taxes that funded the war, which led to her being jailed twice in 1967. The next year, she married David Harris, who was a key figure in the movement against the draft and spent almost two years in prison for refusing to go. They got divorced in 1973. In December 1972, Baez went to Hanoi to bring Christmas gifts and letters to American prisoners of war. At that time, the U.S. was heavily bombing the city. Her 1973 album, Where Are You Now, My Son?, features a title track that tells the story of that experience through a 23-minute spoken-word piece mixed with sounds she recorded during the bombings.
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