 |  |
|
(updated 02/04/10)
On February 10th Joan will join the roster of performers for "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement."
The 2010 White House Music Series begins February 10th, with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosting "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" - a concert to celebrate Black History month. Other participants in the concert include Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal, The Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir and others. Morgan Freeman and Queen Latifah will serve as emcees, and the event will feature songs from the Civil Rights Movement as well as readings from speeches and writings. The President will make opening remarks at this concert held in the East Room which will be streamed live at http://www.whitehouse.gov starting at 5:15pm EST.
The concert will also be televised on February 11th at 8:00pm EST on public broadcasting television stations nationwide. National Public Radio will also produce a one-hour concert special from this event for broadcast throughout the month of February, beginning February 12th. The special will also be available on http://www.npr.org/music
Joan joins Steve Earle, David & Tracy Grisman, Tuck & Patti, and of course, Wavy Gravy, in a special concert to benefit the Seva Foundation on February 14, 2010 at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco. Tickets go onsale January 10 and are $75.00. They can be purchased at Bimbo's. There will also be a limited number of VIP packages available through the Seva Foundation. You can get all the information about the show and tickets at their website.
Congratulations Sharon (and Joan and Mark!)
Be sure to read Joan's latest blog post on Joan's Corner about some elephant friends of hers and how you can help them.
In the first comprehensive documentary to chronicle the life and public career of Joan Baez, PBS's American Masters examines her history as a recording artist and performer as well as her remarkable journey as the conscience of a generation in Joan Baez: How Sweet The Sound, premiered nationally on Wednesday, October 14, 2009. If you missed it, you can view it online through December 10th at pbs.org.
The documentary's premiere television airing coincided with the DVD/CD released on October 13th, featuring bonus content and an audio soundtrack. The documentary features rare performance footage, home videos and candid interviews with artists such as David Crosby, Bob Dylan, David Harris, Steve Earle, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Roger McGuinn. The deluxe edition (DVD/CD combo) includes the complete documentary as well as bonus content featuring Joan's one-on-one conversations with Steve Earle, Vaclav Havel, Dar Williams, Bill Fegan and Bishop Ernest Palmer, as well as interview outtakes on early family life, musical roots, early career choices and more, including a never-before-seen 1958 performance from the legendary Club 47 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The deluxe version also includes a 15 track soundtrack CD with many previously unreleased performances including: Man Smart Woman Smarter, I Never Will Marry, Barbara Allen, Silver Dagger, Fennario, Oh Freedom, With God On Our Side, A Song For David, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Carry It On, I Pity the Poor Immigrant (duet w/Bob Dylan), Diamonds And Rust, Love Song To A Stranger, Day After Tomorrow, and Jerusalem.
You can order the DVD only, CD (soundtrack) only or the DVD/CD deluxe combo online now from Amazon.
You can also order the DVD/CD deluxe combo online from Barnes & Noble.
The film premiered internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18th, and it premiered in the U.S. on October 9th as part of the Paley Center DocFest 2009.
Here's a preview:
New tour dates in Austria, Germany, Spain, Portugal and France for 2010 just posted!
Jim Stewart's tour diary from the summer USA tour has just been posted. There's also many, many photos for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
Read band member Dirk Powell's account of a meeting between Joan and some Vietnam veterans in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Tuesday, August 11.
Some fan photos from the Spring tour have just been posted. Thanks to all of you who so generously submitted your photographs! And remember, if you have taken some good photos of Joan on her current tour, be sure to submit them for inclusion in the fan photo gallery!
So you weren't at the Newport Folk Festival on August 2, when Joan took the stage 50 years after her appearance at the first Festival in 1959? No problem. NPR has archived the festival's performances, and you can listen to Joan's set here!
Like people around the world, Joan has been following the news of the happenings in Iran, and would like to use this space to say the following:
In you the world sees the power of nonviolence. We hear it in the roar of your silence and see it in your eyes I am fortunate to be alive to witness this movement. I send you my prayers, love, and support. --Joan Baez
Our deepest thanks to Reza Salari for his help in the English to Persian/Farsi translation of the lyrics to "We Shall Overcome."
Joan's is a journey of the spirit, told with intimacy and passion as she shares her introduction to folk music and her baptism as its first female star in the coffee houses of Cambridge, Massachusetts. She recounts her musical and personal entwinement with Bob Dylan; her marriage to David Harris, and their painful breakup; and the joy she found upon the birth of her son, Gabriel. With a new introduction by acclaimed music critic Anthony DeCurtis, this book is the story of an American cultural icon. Marked by the openness and vulnerability that have touched us in her music, and the passion and integrity that have informed her politics, this is a disarmingly frank and stirring memoir of the life and work of one of the most extraordinary performers of our time. You can get yours at Amazon.
On Sunday, June 7, 2009, Joan made a special appearance at a Garden Gala in Atherton, California. This event was for the benefit of InnVision, a program based in Santa Clara County that supports a coalition of homeless shelters, emergency, short and long-term housing facilities, food and clothes closets, meal services, medical services, and an Opportunity Center in Palo Alto. Check out photos from the event.
A limited edition CD from this performance is available now on the Chorus' website.
On May 1st, Joan made a special guest appearance at Songs of Survival: Voices from Burma, a benefit event for the Foundation for the People of Burma at Fort Mason in San Francisco.
On April 28th, the Collector's Editions of both Gone From Danger and Ring Them Bells were released. Gone From Danger includes a bonus CD of Joan's 1997 performance on public radio's Mountain Stage. Joining Joan on eight of the ten songs from the album are Dar Williams, Sinead Lohan, Betty and Gene Elders, and Richard Shindell. Ring Them Bells (previously released in the UK), features an additional six tracks, including three solo songs, and one additional song with Tish Hinojosa, one additional song with Indigo Girls and one additional song with Mary Chapin Carpenter. (Scroll down for more info on this release.) Both Collector's Edition CDs are on Joan's label, Bobolink, and distributed by Razor & Tie.
|
On Monday, July 27th Joan and her touring band participated in Elect-A-Lujah!, a fundraiser for Reverend Billy Talen's New York City mayoral campaign. The event was held at the Highline Ballroom. Appearing with Joan at the event were the Life After Shopping Gospel Choir, Greta Gaines and Raoul Malo, the New York Street Vendors Chorus, Yetta Kurland and Jollyship the Whiz-Bang. (photo at left by Eric H. Brown)
 |  |  |
|
On April 1, 2009, the Academy of American Poets presented its seventh annual benefit, Poetry & the Creative Mind, at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. Each year, Poetry & The Creative Mind kicks off National Poetry Month, which was established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 and is now the largest literary celebration in the world. Joan joined the program this year, along with Mia Farrow, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Wynton Marsalis and others. To get more information on this event, visit www.poets.org.
|
  March 24 was the release date for Grammy-winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin's Journey To The New World, which includes the "Joan Baez Suite: Opus 144," a piece by John Duarte comprised of songs from Joan's early career: "Once I Had A Sweetheart," "Rambler Gambler," "House of the Rising Sun," "The Lily Of The West," "The Unquiet Grave," "Silkie," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," "Rake and Rambling Boy," "Wildwood Flower," and "The Trees They Do Grow High." The Sony Classical label CD also features Joan's vocals on "I Am A Poor Wayfaring Stranger" and "Go 'Way From My Window." Click here to order. Photo at left is of Joan and Sharon in the studio for the recording of Joan's vocals.
In January, following the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, Joan traveled to the Beacon Sloop Club in Newburgh, New York, where she met up with Pete Seeger for a photo shoot for Rolling Stone magazine. We've got some additional photos from the day, taken by Claire Smith. Enjoy!
Joan had the great pleasure of traveling to Washington, DC, for the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama. She also performed at the First Inaugural Peace Ball sponsored by Busboys and Poets. Go here to see all the pics!
Joan's latest album, Day After Tomorrow, her first new studio recording in five years, is out now! Joan worked with producer Steve Earle and a band that included bluegrass veterans Tim O'Brien and Darryl Scott, as well as Viktor Krauss and Kenny Malone. The album features three songs written by Steve Earle, including "God Is God," a song Joan debuted during her recent tour. You can hear some of the songs on the music player at Joan's MySpace profile. Day After Tomorrow also includes songs by Eliza Gilkyson, Patty Griffin, Tom Waits, Diana Jones and Thea Gilmore. Click HERE for more about this exciting release!
|
|
We join the world in mourning the death of traditional folk great Odetta at 77 from heart disease in New York. Significant obituaries ran in both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Joan was deeply saddened by the news and offered the following:
Odetta gave us decades of her extraordinary gift in song and took us to a sacred place which existed somewhere between ourselves and God. She deserves a quiet rest."
Check out Joan's YouTube channel and become a subscriber!
Joan's memorable appearance on this show was on March 30, 1969, and it's included in this collection. Joan performs "Sweet Sir Galahad" and "Green, Green Grass of Home," as well as joining Tom and Dick Smothers on "I Shall Be Released." Get yours now!
And if you haven't already done so, be sure to join the MySpace community and get added to Joan's "friends" list.
On September 18, Joan received the Spirit of Americana Free Speech Award at the Americana Music Association's seventh annual awards show on September 18 in Nashville. The honor recognizes and celebrates artist who have ignited discussion and challenged the status quo through their music and actions. Past recipients of this award include Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins, Mavis Staples, and Steve Earle, who presented the award to Joan. Joan also offered a moving performance of "Day After Tomorrow."
Wildflower Records released Born To The Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins on October 14, 2008. Joan is among the 15 artists contributing a track to the CD, offering a beautiful version of Collins' "Since You've Asked." The tribute record will also include artists such as Dolly Parton, Chrissie Hynde, Rufus Wainwright, Dar Williams and Leonard Cohen.
|
Be sure to pick up the DVD release of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of
Visit Joan's 
On July 22, 2008, 
On June 27 Joan appeared with Johnny Clegg and the Soweto Gospel Choir in Hyde Park, London, as part of the |
Are you interested in joining other Joan Baez fans in an internet discussion group? It's a way of interacting, exchanging ideas, sharing reviews and having discussions with other fans regarding Joan, her music, tours, politics, etc. If you are interested in participating in such a group, just send an e-mail to JBWebPages@aol.com stating that you would like to join. (Automated sign-up is not available at this time.) Please include your name and city/state/country. You have a choice between individual e-mails or the "Digest" version, which is one or two e-mail messages a day containing all the messages from that day. Please be sure to specify which version you prefer.
You can view and/or listen to Joan's conversation with Boston Globe rock journalist Steve Morse at Club Passim in Cambridge on March 27, 2008, at WGBH Radio's website. Enjoy!
If you can't find it in your local record store, you can purchase The Power of One online at iTunes.
Look for Joan's guest appearance on the new Thea Gilmore CD, Liejacker, on the Fruitcake Records/Universal label (UK). Joan duets with Thea on the song, "The Lower Road." Another version of this song appears on Joan's own CD Day After Tomorrow.
In 2008, both Joan and Passim Center (originally Club 47 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) celebrated their 50th anniversaries. In March 2008 Joan was hosted by Passim for two evenings. First, on March 27, "A Conversation with Joan Baez" featured Joan in a dialogue with Steve Morse, rock journalist for the Boston Globe. The following night, March 28, Joan presented a concert at Sanders Theatre, where Club Passim honored her with a lifetime achievement award. Check out some wonderful photos from the evening! On October 18, 2007, Joan was honored at the Huntington's Disease Society of America's 40th Anniversary "Guthrie Awards." This event took place at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
|
On April 22, 2008, the
   Here it is, folks! The 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Joan by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the organization that bestows the GRAMMY Awards. You can go to their website www.grammy.com to read more about it and see photos and video from the evening. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors lifelong artistic contributions to the recording medium, and the award is decided by vote of The Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. The award was presented to Joan during a February 10th ceremony at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.(Photos above: Joan accepting her award; Joan with her tour merchandise manager Jim Stewart; the Grammy Award)
CONGRATULATIONS, JOAN!!! This honor is so richly deserved! To top off the weekend, Joan also appeared on the Grammy Award televised event on Sunday, February 11th, introducing a performance by the Dixie Chicks.
The John Mellencamp CD, Freedom's Road, features a duet by Mellencamp and Joan on a song called "Jim Crow."
|
The ceremony was attended by a group of Joan's friends and associates who were there to share in the excitement. (Photo at left: Joan with her good friend Colleen Creedon)|
Joan's live CD, BOWERY SONGS was culled from Joan's performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 6, 2004. In addition to old and new favorites, the CD includes four previously unrecorded songs - "Dink's Song," "Seven Curses," "Finlandia," and "Jerusalem."
|
|
Joan has joined the cast of ZinZanni several times now, and she is always thrilled to be a part of the show. Be sure to check out the website for Teatro ZinZanni for more information about this wonderful cabaret-antics-music-comedy-dinner show.
Joan is featured on the current installment of Bob Dylan's ongoing "Bootleg Series" for Columbia/Legacy Records. The Bootleg Series Volume 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964 - Concert at Philharmonic Hall features Joan on four tracks: "Mama, You Been On My Mind," "Silver Dagger," "With God On Our Side," and "It Ain't Me, Babe."
On September 23, 2003, Universal Music released a boxed set of 4 CDs, encompassing Joan's six complete A&M recordings, Come From The Shadows, Where Are You Now, My Son?, Gracias a La Vida, Diamonds & Rust, From Every Stage, and Gulf Winds.It also features bonus material and special liner notes penned by Arthur Levy.
Vanguard Records has released the "Original Master Series" of Joan's catalog with Vanguard. These re-issues feature 20-bit remastering and have new graphics, liner notes wonderfully written by Arthur Levy, deluxe slip cover cases, and additional tracks (some previously unreleased) when possible. . Re-issues contain the following bonus tracks:
• Joan Baez, Volume 2 - "Once I Loved a Boy," "Longest Train I Ever Saw," and "Poor Boy." • Noel - "The First Noel," "We Three Kings," "Virgin Mary," "Good Christian Kings," "Burgundian Carol," and "Away in a Manger." • In Concert - "Streets of Laredo" and "My Good Old Man" (both retrieved from the vinyl version of Very Early Joan), and "My Lord What A Morning." • In Concert, Part Two - "Rambler Gambler" (from Very Early Joan), "Railroad Bill" (from original vinyl version of this album), and the previously unreleased tracks, "Death of Emmett Till," "Tomorrow Is A Long Time," and "When First Unto This Country A Stranger I Came." • 5 - "Tramp on the Street" (early version) and "Long Black Veil" featuring the Charles River Valley Boys. • Farewell Angelina - early versions of "Rock Salt and Nails," "The Water is Wide," and "One Too Many Mornings." • Joan - "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread" and "Autumn Leaves" (sung in French). • Baptism - "Mystic Numbers: 36. Wedding Song," "When The Shy Star Goes Forth In Heaven," and "The Angel." • Any Day Now - "Blowin' in the Wind" and "It Ain't Me Babe" (both from a live performance in Japan) • David's Album - "How Can I Miss You" and "The Last Thing On My Mind" (previously unreleased studio version) • One Day At A Time - "Sing Me Back Home" and "Mama Tried" • Blessed Are... - "Maria Dolores," "Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee)," and "Warm And Tender Love"
Check out Joan's wall paintings in locations in Paris and Brusson, Italy. |
Joan completed her return engagement (June 9 - July 24, 2005) with Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco. This time Joan inhabited the persona of the Gypsy "Calliope" in Teatro ZinZanni - Love, Chaos & Dinner (see photo at right!).|
Latest News - Tour Schedule - Biographical Info - Discography - Lyrics - Band and Crew - Photo Gallery - Joan on the Internet - Links - Contacts
|