Tiger Weekly - Serving Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Joan Baez, one amazing night

By Charlotte Guedry

Genius, writer, songbird, activist, legend. These are all words easy to relate to Joan Baez. She has filled venues and hearts with her true American folk music since her rise to fame in the late 1950's. Add to that her one of a kind vibrato, and music aficionados are in for a definite treat when she takes to the stage at the River Center on August 5th.

Tiger Weekly was fortunate to catch up with Ms Baez, as she makes her way to Capital City as part of her tour.

TW: Can you give us a little insight into what a live Joan Baez performance entails?

JB: Well, it' mostly my music now. I used to give more chat in my shows but now there's so much music to get through. I do read up a lot on Hopi Indians, and like to throw quotes into my performance. Like, trust in yourself, that sort of thing.

TW: What are you most pleased about regarding your new DVD, 'How Sweet the Sound'?

JB: From the very beginning, it's mesmerizing. My father had a Super 8 camera when we were growing up, so there's some amazing old footage on there. There are even some clips of old extended songs that an old woman found in her freezer! My only regret is that so much had to be cut out. I'm a little disgruntled about that.

TW; Are there any new artists you're listening to at the moment that you think people should know about?

JB: I'm really into World Music at the moment, so anything in that genre.

TW: What's currently in your CD player?

JB: Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earl, oh and some Dalai Lama chanting that I find really soothing. He's got a great voice.

TW: If you could recommend people listen to one artist, past or present, who would that artist be?

JB: That's an easy one (laughs), Joan Baez of course! I have no shame here.

TW: In March, you were honored in Spain by receiving the prestigious Order of Arts and Letters. What did receiving this award mean to you?

JB: I'm not usually nuts about awards, but this was a big deal. I was honored by the Spanish Minister of Culture in Madrid. I have a deep affiliation for Spain, and all things Spanish. I was very touched, and grateful for the recognition.

TW: How did you become an advocate for the Children' Health Fund?

JB; I got a phone call about doing a benefit for a clinic, and thought it sounded like something I should do. I went, and became great friends with the organizers, Irwin and Karen Redlener. The passion they have for speaking out on behalf of vulnerable children has rubbed off on me, I hope. Paul Simon is also a huge part of this charity.

TW: You get very involved with a lot of relief work. Do you believe people in the public eye have a responsibility to lead the way in making a difference?

JB: I think we all have a responsibility to do that. Being famous jut helps get the ball rolling. I know that people feel powerless to make a change, but one person really can make a difference. An ex of mine, David Harris, used to say that everybody has a constituency. Looking out for others should just be how we live. It shouldn't be anything shocking.

TW: What do you do with your down time?

JB: I love to nap (laughs), and search anything to do with history on the internet. If there's something that comes up, and I don't know about it, I can just look it up.

TW: Finally, if you could describe yourself in one sentence that lets people know who you are, what would that sentence be?

JB: I was born a person with two gifts, one being my voice, and the other, the ability to share it the way I've wanted to share it.

An Evening with Joan Baez takes place on Thursday, August 5th. Doors open at 7:30pm. For information regarding tickets, go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Originally Published: July 28, 2010

↑ Back to the top