Baez, Joan

(Chandos), politically active American folksinger, guitarist, and songwriter of English, Irish, and Mexican descent; b. Staten Island, N.Y., Jan. 9, 1941. Baez learned guitar by ear. While studying drama at Boston University she began appearing at a local coffeehouse, becoming popular for her interpretations of traditional folk songs and ballads. She made her first important appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. She subsequently recorded a number of best-selling albums and was one of the earliest supporters of the music of BOB DYLAN, introducing him as a special guest in many of her concerts.

In 1965 Baez founded the Institute for the Study of Non-Violence. She joined the anti-Vietnam War movement and supported the organizing fight of the United Farm Workers' Union, giving many benefit concerts for those organizations. Baez had her biggest commercial success in 1971 when she had a No. 1 hit with The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, written by Robbie Robertson of the Band. In 1975-76 she performed as part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder tours.

Baez continued to record and perform through the 1990s, to varying degrees of success.