Joan Baez

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I would make a lousy rock star ... I've never listened to heavy rock or stuff that jangles my nerves, because I'm already jangled.
-	Joan Baez

Anyone who listens to folk music knows Joan Baez. She began singing in the 1950's when folk music had paradoxically become both mainstream and a vehicle for political activism. And although Johnny Cash admonished folks singers not to mix their politics and their music ...

Now this should be a lesson if you plan to start a folk group,

Don't go mixing politics with the folk songs of our land.

Just work on harmony and diction,

Play your banjo well,

And if you have political convictions

Keep 'em to yourself.

... Joan did no such thing. Within a few years she was one of the more visible of the Vietnam anti-war protesters and today continues to campaign for civil and human rights.

Johnny's admonitions notwithstanding, Joan's political activism has never prevented her from reaching mainstream audiences. Starting in the mid-1960's she not only began decades of concert tours, but she also appeared on the most popular television shows - a guarantee to reach the vast majority of Americans. Her electronic venues included the most popular talk shows: Joey Bishop, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, David Frost, and not to mention the eight appearances on The Tonight Show when it was hosted by Johnny Carson. Later she was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman and appeared on the music program The Midnight Special both as performer and host.

Joan was twice a guest on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which was one of the most widely viewed shows of the 1960's. She also appeared in a documentary about Tom and Dick and their controversial show. She has been featured on other documentaries about Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bluegrass banjoist Earl Scruggs, classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, and (yes) Hugh Hefner. But in the 20th Century the highest pinnacle of celebrity was to be asked to be on the The Muppet Show. Joan was guest host on October 25, 1980.

And of course, Joan performed at the Newport Folk Festivals from 1963 to 1965 and most notably at Woodstock in 1969 where she didn't begin performing until 1:00 in the morning. Once on stage she sang twelve tunes, but only two, "Joe Hill" and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" (sung a cappella), were in the motion picture. It was right after her performance that what had been a mild drizzle turned into the famous mud-churning downpour.

Naturally Joan has recorded many of her songs. A current count of her albums is over 50 (including compilations) and more than 30 tracks have been released as singles. In 2007 Joan was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award - an award that has not been granted to very many folk singers.

Ten years later Joan was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Seemingly surprised at the honor, she maintained that she was not a rock singer and that in her teens her preferences tended more for Rhythm and Blues.

Of course, scholars know that the term Rock and Roll now includes so many sub-genres that Joan's songs can easily be included. Even Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger - Rock and Rollers only by the most strained of definitions - have been enshrined in the Rock Hall of Fame. Woody and Pete, though, are considered to be in a category apart from the regular performers.

Hands down Joan's best selling song was "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" which hit #3 on, yes, Billboard's Pop Chart. Although on the surface the tune is not typical for her repertoire, discerning listeners will recognize it as a pure anti-war song. Ironically Joan's release was a cover for the song which was first performed by the rock group The Band whose version didn't even hit the charts.

Joan has been now been performing for over half a century. So we can certainly understand that she has begun to ease back and announced she would make her final formal tour in 2021.

References

"Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound", American Masters, Public Broadcasting System, 2009.

"Joan Baez - 50 Years of Peace & Music", Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Q&A: Joan Baez, rock star? Believe it.", James Reed, The Los Angeles Times, April 27.

"The Band", Billboard.

"Joan Baez", Internet Movie Data Base.

"Joan Baez", Discogs.

"Joan Baez", Billboard.

"The Band", Billboard.