Joan Baez--Diamonds and Rust (1975)

     Joan Baez is a treasure in the music world that should never be forgotten. Her beauty and distinctive vocal talents was accompanied with a passion for social justice that has never wavered in the over 50 years since her first album in 1960. However, it seems as if she had been overshadowed musically (at least in the decades since the 60's) by Bob Dylan, and then by other artists such as Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins.  

     In fact, it was Baez who, in covering one of Dylan/s songs brought him to prominence (they were a romantic couple for the better part of 3 years). As Dylan went way beyond traditional songs, his popularity began to soar. Joan continued to do well throughout the 60's and of course had her biggest commercial success on the charts with a cover of The Band's, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The first time I heard Baez was in the mid-70's with this song. Her folk music might have been influential politically in the 60's, but this was one of her finest moments as a songwriter as she sings about her relationship with Dylan in the 60's. It's a clear look at a relationship in loving, but unsentimental terms.