Joan Chandos Baez (9 January 1941 -), born in Staten Island, New York, is an American singer-songwriter who help revitalize folk music in the 1960s. She has performed publicly for over 55 years and released some 30 albums. She’s a Quaker by birthright and that is reflected in her early, anti-Vietnam War work, her alignment with the U.S. Civil Rights movement, and her work with Amnesty International.

Baez is highly regarded today for her music and her involvement in social issues, but she’s not without her critics. Her early involvement in the anti-war movement had many claiming she was un-American. Others claim her support of the civil rights movement was self-serving. Baez has always refused to enter the political arena directly, working instead to privately support causes she believes in.

Baez has received numerous awards for her music, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement and Grammy Hall of Fame awards.

Of her lifelong belief in non-violence, Baez has said:

“The longer you practice nonviolence and the meditative qualities of it that you will need, the more likely you are to do something intelligent in any situation.”