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And A Voice to Sing With: A Memoir
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Product Description
Fifty years after her stunning debut at the Newport Folk Festival, Joan Baez remains a musical force of nature whose influence is incalculable. Her voice is part of the soundtrack of a generation, and her commitment to social justice helped form its conscience. She marched on the front line of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King, Jr., inspired Václav Havel in his fight for a Czech Republic, sang on the first Amnesty International tour, and stood alongside Nelson Mandela on his ninetieth birthday in London's Hyde Park. She brought the '60s Free Speech Movement into the spotlight, organized resistance to the war in Southeast Asia, and forty years later saluted the Dixie Chicks for their courage to protest war. Her earliest recordings fed a host of traditional ballads into the rock vernacular, and she unself-consciously introduced Bob Dylan to the world in 1963 in an effort to bring attention to songwriters that continues to this day.
Hers is a journey of the spirit, told with intimacy and passion as Baez 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, And a Voice to Sing With 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.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #394484 in Books
- Published on: 1989-11
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 378 pages
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
YA Young rock-and-rollers at the Live Aid concert, where folksinger Joan Baez opened the festivities, told her that they were raised on her music, that their parents owned all of her albums, and that meeting her was an honor. Many will also consider reading her autobiography such an honor. Her memories of singing for Martin Luther King, for Lech Walesa and his family, at the first Newport Festival, at Woodstock, and for innumerable human rights causes are gathered together here in colorful array. Readers will gain first hand glimpses of the musical and political scenes of the '60s, '70s, and '80s. This deftly written self-portrayal will also satisfy those seeking revelations about the lives and loves of the singer. Given the lack of quality biographical material about contemporary women musicians, And a Voice to Sing With deserves a chance to be sampled by teens. Keddy Outlaw, Harris County Public Library, Houston
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Ostracized in junior high school because of her Mexican name and dark skin, Baez developed compassion for the outcast. Likewise, her Quaker upbringing was the source of her deep pacifist beliefs. So when she attained sudden fame at age 18 during the 1960s folk music revival, she didn't hesitate to mix politics and music. Her memoir describes both concert tours and political and social events that took her from Greenwich Village and Woodstock to Vietnam and Cambodia. It concludes with a backstage glimpse at the Live Aid concert. But this is also a very personal memoir with stories of parents, siblings, and friends as well as rock musicians and movie stars; it is well written and, at times, moving. Recommended. Tim LaBorie, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia, Pa.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"[A]n eyewitness' testimony of watching -- indeed, making -- cultural history. Eloquent and compassionate, Joan Baez has stunned millions with the purity of her voice; she has also acted unwaveringly on her non-party-line beliefs, and it's fitting that her memoir would offer its own share of provocation." -- Gail Caldwell, The Boston Globe
"[A] revealing autobiography...[H]er honesty and ideals are appealing, and in her life story one can see the passage of an artistic Everyman." -- Barbara Goldsmith, The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews
Very enjoyable!
Honest, humorous, well written. Ms. Baez dosen't pull any punches as she shares the story of her career and escapades with her readers. If you are a Baez fan you will enjoy this book. I had no idea that Joan was such an accomplished writer. I wish she'd write more.
Moving, intelligent, and haunting display of self
An excruciatingly lovely, honest portrayal of Joan Baez' life, from self-conscious childhood through more self-confident adulthood (she speaks of self demons that haunt her yet). Includes photographs of self, family, performances, and other public appearances. A professed non-reader, non afficionado of public (regimented) learning, Joan intelligently writes about non violence, her public issues, and relationships, and in doing so, encourages readers to make more of their own personal and public lives. Powers to be: Please give this woman a Grammy for all of her talent!!
Sensitive and delicate in the personal sense.
This is the only "novel" I have read twice and would like to pick up again. I found the truth more fascinating and heart-warming than any good fiction! Ms. Baez's openness in sharing personal information gives the reader insight into understanding her motives/lyrics and direction. It is also interesting to "see" inside the workings of one who is trying to make a difference in the world versus personal and public views of a performer. Ms. Baez literary style displays her intelligence, forsight, and concerns. I would like to read future works by Ms. Baez reflecting, as a woman, how she acquired her aspirations and confidence...familial and/or inborn!
