Profile of the Day: Joan Baez

Today folk singer Joan Baez turns 84! An activist and songwriter, Baez’s has released more than 30 albums over her career which has spanned over 60 years.

Image: Joan Baez / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

She was born on January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York to Albert Baez and Joan Chandos Bridge. Baez has both Mexican and Scottish ancestry. Her mother was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her father was born in Mexico and came to the United States as a young child when his father founded the First Spanish Methodist Church in New York. Instead of following in his father’s footsteps to become a minister, he pursued a career in mathematics and physics and made important contributions to the early development of X-ray microscopes.

Music had been a part of Baez’s life from a young age. She used her music to express her social and political views, often promoting nonviolence, civil rights, and social justice. During the 1960’s, Baez met a then unknown Bob Dylan. With her fame on the rise, Baez was a key figure in helping to launch Dylan’s music career. She performed many of Dylan’s early songs and often invited him on to the stage to perform during her concerts. These early years are depicted in the new critically acclaimed Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan. Actress Monica Barbaro takes on the role of Baez in the film.

Explore Joan Baez’s family tree on Geni and discover how you’re connected to the musician.

View Joan Baez’s Geni Profile