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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Joan Baez beyond ‘A Complete Unknown’

Exploring the life and work of the renowned folk singer outside of her relationship with Bob Dylan 

 

By SAVANNAH ANNO — arts@theaggie.org

Following the holiday release of “A Complete Unknown,” James Mangold’s long-awaited Bob Dylan biopic, came an uptick of curiosity about the film’s supporting characters. With Timothée Chalamet’s popularity working to bridge the gap between older and younger generations of viewers, many walked into the film with little to no knowledge of Dylan, along with other folk legends like Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie. But that didn’t stop them from walking out with a new love for their timeless songwriting and sound, particularly when it came to Joan Baez.

With the very first look of actress Monica Barbaro as Baez — long black hair as she determinedly walks through New York to a folk club where she’ll have her first encounter with Dylan — Mangold solidifies her character: sure of herself, pristine and mesmerizing. After a haunting performance of “House Of The Rising Sun,” viewers, just like Dylan and the audience watching her within the movie, were immediately entranced.

Known for her “heartstopping soprano voice,” as Dylan called it in “How Sweet the Sound,” a short 2009 Baez documentary, the singer grabbed the public’s attention in 1959 at just 18 years old during her performance at the very first Newport Folk Festival.

From then on, Baez became a sensation. With her first album, “Joan Baez,” going gold, performing at Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington and featured on the cover of TIME Magazine all within the span of three years, there was no doubt she would be a folk legend for decades to come.

As “A Complete Unknown” details, Baez became eternally linked to Dylan after helping bring his music to the greater public through duet performances and recording her own versions of his songs. With iconic videos of the pair singing tracks like “It Ain’t Me Babe,” it’s hard not to be curious about the exact details of Baez and Dylan’s ultimately tumultuous relationship of the ‘60s.

Baez’s existence as an artist, however, has much more to do with her own talent and character than it ever had to do with Dylan’s rise to fame and their eventual split. With many fans leaving “A Complete Unknown” not fully satisfied with the small hints of Baez’s career outside of Dylan, it may comfort you to know that there is no shortage of films, books or art detailing her life and voice. Here are a few different places to start while you dive into her large music discography.

 

“Where the Kissing Never Stops” by Joan Didion (1968)

From one Joan to another, “Where the Kissing Never Stops” is an essay that details Didion’s observations of Baez and her Institute for the Study of Nonviolence in Carmel Valley, California. As with everything else, Didion takes a critical eye to Baez’s activism and fame. While you may not agree with her portrayal of Baez, it’s worth the read to imagine the two legendary women sitting down together for an interview.

 

“Mischief Makers” (2017) and “Mischief Makers 2” (2021) at Seager Gray Gallery

While “A Complete Unknown” made Baez’s musical talent clear for all to see, her talent as a visual artist came to the forefront of her career later in life. Her series of paintings, which she calls “Mischief Makers,” includes portraits of activists like Greta Thunberg, figures like Kamala Harris and even one of a young Bob Dylan.

 

“Am I Pretty When I Fly? An Album of Upside Down Drawings” by Joan Baez (2023)

Published fairly recently is a 120-page collection of drawings, completed and categorized by Baez in a large, hardcover coffee table book. Baez, who has always had a passion for art, completed each drawing by beginning with the paper upside down and sometimes even with her non-dominant hand. Featuring abstract sketches of herself, nature and other people, Baez provides a new way for fans to get to know her beyond just listening to her music.

 

“Joan Baez: I Am a Noise” dir. Miri Navasky, Karen O’Connor and Maeve O’Boyle (2023)

A full-length documentary, “Joan Baez: I Am a Noise” shifts back and forth between Baez’s farewell tour in the present day and the fully fledged story of her 60-year career. Not only detailing the events of her life but the inner workings of her mind through her journal entries and drawings, “I Am a Noise,” highlights Baez’s emotional strength and resilience as an activist, artist and overall human being.

 

“When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance” by Joan Baez (2024)

A collection of autobiographical poetry, “When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance,” is made up of old and new writings by Baez, chronicling her relationships with friends, family members and more. Published just recently in April 2024, the collection is the very first-ever look at Baez’s poetry outside of her songwriting.

 

While “A Complete Unknown” may not be a perfect film — Dylan experts are beginning to point out the movie’s inconsistencies with reality — it was successful in its mission to bring new life to folk music’s fanbase. Using Barbaro’s talent as a way to lead fans into the rest of Baez’s story, her character in the film is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the depth of her art.

“I hope audiences who watch this film are inspired to dive into Joan Baez’s music and activism,” Barbaro said in an interview with Variety. “She’s an icon, and it’s an honor to bring her story to life.”

 

Written by: Savannah Anno — arts@theaggie.org

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