Key Points
- JoanBaezArticle001
- Joan Baez laments young musicians’ lack of activism compared to previous generations.
- She acknowledges some artists, like Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers, for speaking out.
Joan Baez is disappointed with the current generation of musicians.
In the most recent episode of the podcast Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the 85-year-old spoke about the lack of activism she currently sees in young people.
“I sort of cock my head at these stadiums filled with brilliant young women songwriters, and why can’t they just take that little step?” Baez said.
The singer-songwriter has been vocal on many social issues since the very beginning of her career. She protested the Vietnam War, fought for civil rights, and even marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, she founded the Institute for the Study of Nonviolence with Ira Sandperl in California. Baez earned the John Steinbeck Award for her civil rights work in 2003.
Although she would like more young musicians to publicly express their beliefs, she tries to be empathetic to those who don’t.
“I understand where they’re coming from,” Baez said. “The young people right now, some are writing amazing stuff. A few are willing to speak out.”
Among the musicians using their platform for social justice, Baez cited Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers. She was glad to see Rogers recently “front and center on the stage at a rally against ICE.”
The folk singer encourages other popular musicians to voice their thoughts as well.
“Because they’re already richer than God, you know, most of them. So, that little step,” she added.
Baez has seen a nearly 65-year career. Apart from her activism, she is known for songs such as “It Ain’t Me Babe” (1964), “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (1971), and “Diamonds & Rust” (1975). She earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, and received a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2021.
About the author
AC Shick is a freelance journalist who focuses on arts, culture, and entertainment. Before Parade, she produced radio and wrote digital stories for Annenberg Media. With a strong background in storytelling, AC has worked in digital and social media, producing social content for the University of Southern California, United Talent Agency, and Southern California real estate enterprises. She is a cinephile and a proud AMC Stubs A-List member.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source parade.com ’
