Baez, Joan (1941–)
Baez, Joan (1941–)
American folksinger and civil-rights activist. Born Joan Chandos Baez, Jan 9, 1941, in Staten Island, NY; dau. of Albert Vinicio Baez (taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Joan Bridge Baez; sister of Mimi Farina (1945–2001, guitarist); briefly attended Boston University; m. David Harris (draft resister and activist), 1968 (div.); children: Gabriel Earl Harris (b. 1969).
Began singing in coffeehouses in Cambridge, MA, and then appeared at Newport Folk Festival (1959); drew on ballads, southern, country, and protest music, and earned praise from fans and critics; released 1st album, Joan Baez (1960), which was a huge success, followed by Joan Baez, Volume Two (1961) and Joan Baez in Concert (1962); appeared at Monterey Folk Festival with Bob Dylan (1963); toured US, Europe, and Japan, and became involved in civil-rights activism and anti-war protests; founded institute for study of non-violence (1965); had hit single with "There But For Fortune" (1965); was a headliner at Woodstock (1969); earned several Grammy nominations. Other albums include Farewell Angelina (1965), Noel (1966), Baptism (1968), Any Day Now (1969), David's Album (1969), Blessed Are … (1971), Come from the Shadows (1972), Gracias a la Vida (1974), Diamonds and Rust (1975), Gulf Winds (1976), Blowin' Away (1977), Play Me Backwards (1992), and Gone from Danger (1997).
See also autobiographies Daybreak (1968) and And a Voice to Sing With (1987).