The Music of Joan Baez

The Music of Joan Baez - With Sarah Yeo

Joan Baez is a legendary American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more than 30 albums.

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 others' work, having recorded many traditional songs and songs written 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 songs by Bob Dylan in the early 1960s; Baez was already an internationally celebrated artist and did much to popularize his early songwriting efforts. Her tumultuous relationship with Dylan later became the subject of songs by each of them and generated much public speculation. 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.

Baez's songs include "Diamonds & Rust" and covers of Phil Ochs's "There but for Fortune" and the Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". She also recorded "Farewell, Angelina", "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word", "Forever Young", "Here's to You", "Joe Hill", "Sweet Sir Galahad" and "We Shall Overcome". Baez performed fourteen songs at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Baez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017.

-----------------------------------------------

Sarah Yeo, performs material in her own "beautiful voice" (BBC) from Joan's early career from the first recording, 'Harvard Square' and onward through her lengthy journey to date, telling pivotal stories and singing key songs from the Newport Festival days, her Years in Nashville, activism around the world, her relationship both on and off the stage with Bob Dylan, and her love of recording just great songs.

The set list takes note of the political climate in 2025 and includes self penned songs 'Diamonds and Rust', 'The Winds of the Old Days', Dylan greats such as 'Love Is Just A Four Letter Word', 'There But For Fortune', 'Farewell Angelina' and the wonderful catalogue from songwriters Stevie Wonder, Phil Ochs, Janis Ian and not forgetting the early Folk covers, 'The Banks of the Ohio', 'House of the Rising Sun' and many more hits. Sarah also delves into the Spanish language repertoire Joan loved so much.

Sarah's 'warm rich voice' with sweet higher notes, lends itself perfectly for this special evening of songs and stories.

As Sarah learns more about Miss Baez's life and career, she feels she really can relate to her in many ways, making the project a very personal and inspiring experience.