Joan Chandos Baez

She once dated singer Bob Dylan during the early years of their careers.

She was married to David Harris, a journalist and anti-war activist from 1968 to 1973 before divorcing amicably. She has one son, Gabriel who is a drummer.

Joan Baez, born Joan Chandos Baez, is the daughter of Albert Baez and Joan Sr. The family followed Quakerism. She had two sisters one of whom was also a musician.

Her father worked with UNESCO and as a result the family moved many times to various countries all over the world including England, France, Canada, Spain and Iraq.

She took to music after listening to a performance by folk musician Pete Seeger. Soon she began performing publicly.

Her family moved to Massachusetts in 1958 which was fast developing as the center of the folk music scene.

She went to Boston University for six weeks and performed at clubs.

She gave her first concert at the Club 47 in Cambridge in 1958 for $10. She was asked to perform for the club regularly for $25 per show.

She became acquainted with Bob Gibson and Odetta, two very prominent folk singers of those days. Impressed by her music, Gibson invited her to perform with him at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. The duo sang two duets and the young lady immediately got noticed for her angelic voice.

She signed a contract with Vanguard and released her debut album, the self-titled ‘Joan Baez’ in 1960. It featured a collection of traditional ballads, laments and blues. It received positive reviews and became a moderate hit.

Her second album, ‘Joan Baez, Vol. 2’ was out in 1961. It comprised traditional material and went Gold like its predecessor.

In her live album ‘Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2’ (1963), she featured the singer Bob Dylan for the first time, and played a significant role in promoting the career of the hitherto unknown singer.

She is a folk singer who revived the musical genre of folk music during the 1960’s. Her lyrics are often based on social issues and topics of political significance, and she has given many concert performances to promote human rights causes in a career spanning over five decades.

She uses her popularity to garner support for the causes she believes in. She is a prominent activist who campaigns for a range of issues like gay rights, human rights, environmentalism, etc.