Joan Baez made several appearances in Newport as of late. The folk icon touched down among familiar ground at the Newport Folk Festival over the weekend, starting out with a lowkey poetry reading of her newly released debut poetry book, When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance, which had released this past April. It was fun to watch Baez walk onto the intimate Bike Stage at Fort Adams Park, powered by cycling folks, on the Saturday. In her unassuming manner, the folk singer sat down on a stool and shared some of her funny and entertaining poems to a packed crowd around the rustic stage.
In cool glasses and a simple gray tank top, Baez enthralled the folk audience. Off the beaten path moments like that is what the Newport Folk Festival is all about and was one of the most delightful treats of the fest. That was her official appearance.
The folk artist surprised fans by joining Hozier’s set the day before, singing along with several of the artists headlining the festival in a heartfelt rendition of Hozier’s “The Weight,” which included Mavis Staples, Nathaniel Rateliff, Madison Cunningham, and Allison Russell.
Baez had been part of the festival’s inaugural lineup in 1959 and returned to the City by the Sea in 1963, where she joined hands with another icon, Bob Dylan, among several other artists, who all sang “We Shall Overcome” in solidarity during a pivotal time in the country’s cultural lexicon. Baez clearly felt that our current times call for the same rallying call as she reprised the political anthem once again, closing out the festival’s first night on an emotional vector.
On Monday, Baez’s tireless energy was on full display at yet another event in Newport, a book signing and reading of some of her poetry at the Jane Pickens theatre in downtown Newport. She shared poems about her contemporaries (Dylan and Judy Collins—who will be here in a few weeks!), reflections from her childhood and cherished family memories. One of those included some humorous stories about her mother, who passed away at age 100 and amusingly told her, “’I’ll stick around as long as you entertain me.’”
But even here, she treated the audience to an acoustic, impromptu singing of “America the Beautiful.” A truly spellbinding experience.
Baez seems to have been everywhere as of late. A documentary of her life and final 2019 tour, Joan Baez I am Noise premiered last year at the Berlin Film Festival and has screened at several film festivals since. Part One of Baez’s book tour just wrapped up in Washington, D.C. on July 31. It is unclear if more appearance dates will be announced, but there certainly seems to be plenty of demand to justify a second tier of appearance dates.
It will be fascinating to watch for her next project. She may have concluded her last tour in 2019, but the prolific artist certainly knows how to keep busy.