Joan Baez is a US folk singer, songwriter, musician and activist from Staten Island, United States. Born in 1941, she begins her recording career in 1960 and becomes one of the best-known voices in contemporary folk music, with work that also spans americana, country, gospel, pop and rock.

Career and style

Baez performs publicly for more than six decades and releases more than 30 albums. She is primarily associated with folk music, but her repertoire extends into folk rock, pop, country and gospel. Her songs often address protest, social justice and related political concerns.

Although she writes songs herself, she is especially known for interpreting other songwriters’ material. Her recordings include traditional songs and 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 and Bob Marley.

Bob Dylan and other repertoire

Baez is among the first major artists to record Bob Dylan songs in the early 1960s, helping to popularise his early work. Her personal and professional relationship with Dylan is widely discussed and inspires songs by both artists.

She also records songs by later writers including Ryan Adams, Josh Ritter, Steve Earle, Natalie Merchant and Joe Henry. Songs strongly associated with her include “Diamonds & Rust”, Phil Ochs’s “There but for Fortune”, the Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, “Farewell, Angelina”, “Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word”, “Forever Young”, “Here’s to You”, “Joe Hill”, “Sweet Sir Galahad” and “We Shall Overcome”.

Albums and live performance

Her first three albums, Joan Baez, Joan Baez, Vol. 2 and Joan Baez in Concert, all achieve gold record status. Her studio catalogue also includes Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2, Joan Baez/5, Farewell, Angelina, Noël, Joan, Baptism: A Journey Through Our Time, Any Day Now, David’s Album, One Day at a Time, Sacco & Vanzetti, Carry It On, Blessed Are..., Come from the Shadows, Where Are You Now, My Son?, Gracias a la Vida, Diamonds & Rust, Gulf Winds, Blowin’ Away, Honest Lullaby, Recently, Diamonds & Rust in the Bullring, Speaking of Dreams, Play Me Backwards, Gone from Danger, Dark Chords on a Big Guitar, Day After Tomorrow and Whistle Down the Wind.

She performs fourteen songs at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

Activism and recognition

Baez maintains a long commitment to political and social activism, especially nonviolence, civil rights, human rights and environmental issues. She is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.