Joan Baez - Do I just not get it?

Joan Baez did us a great favor in finding, restoring, and performing a huge range of authentic folk songs...ballads which actually tell a story. Her voice is authentic, generally not backed up by other singers and a studio band. She actually played her own guitar while singing.

For vintage Baez, try Vanguard CD VMD-2027 and VMD-2097. On the second CD is one of the most beautiful love songs I know, "Plaisir d'amour".

Just don't get me started about her politics.

I used to work for Joan back in 1976 (Stage lighting designer). We were touring on her Gulf Winds album. She would do a two part show. No opening act.The first half was just her. The second half she had a great band backing her. Elliot Randal on guitar (he did the solo on Steely Dan's Reelin' in the Years). She could really rock too.

She was using more of the vibrato by then. Early on she didn't use it as oftem. Still, when she was singing solo her voice was magical. Totally crystal like even with the vibrato. She did a show at the Academy Theater (hope I remember the name correctly) in Philadelphia that was so heartwrenchingly beautiful that the goosebumps on your arms never faded. I look back on that show as one of a highlight of thousands of shows I did for many top acts throughout fifteen years of touring.

Her albums just hint at what she was capable of live. Still, you get a good sense of what kind of vocal chops she possessed. I also suggest her earlier Vanguard recordings show her at the top of her form. I guess she sounds quaint now and a modern listener would take some time to appreciate her talent. In today's world of female corprate lip syncers and overprocessed no-talents, her pure voice would take a few listens to get into.

buffy st. marie anyone?

ray, Don Juan is Joni Mitchell but I agree it is terrific and I love Jaco too...

A friend of mine describes Neil Young's voice as sounding like a cat caught in a fan belt. I think Slipknot1's got it, it is the whole package.