Joan Baez – Singing in a New Era on Election Night

by Sue Gillis

Perhaps Joan Baez sprinkled pixie dust over Vermont on her flight into Burlington on November 2 – Election Day – helping to ensure that we could still be proud of our “Dream Team” congressional delegation with the re-election of both U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Congressman Peter Welch. And… for pushing Democrat Peter Shumlin over the top to win the governor’s seat! Is it something about Vermont or was it something about Joan? Whatever the answer, Vermonters continue to amaze the rest of America by voting with compassion for the poor, for fairness toward those who are perceived to be different from ourselves, and for the health of our planet… just like everything Joan has stood for and sung about for a long time.

In the coming year Joan is celebrating her 70th birthday, and 50 years of touring. The only noticeable change is that her voice has lowered an octave; otherwise, she holds her own with her distinctive, lilting voice at a powerful mid-range. In all these years, Joan has transcended her music, all over the world, as a defender of political freedom and peaceful co-existence for all.

Her third encore at the Flynn was John Lennon’s poignant, timeless “Imagine.” Graceful, vibrant, stunningly beautiful Joan once again sang out yearningly for a peaceful world where we are as one, holding her audience and, I felt, me, ever so gently, rocking and comforting and reassuring.

For days her piercing voice, poetic phrasing, passion and her optimism lingered deep inside me. Weariness showed as she seems to carry the country’s distress in the depths of her soul. Distress for wars, for racism, bigotry, hypocrisy, and for corporate greed. But still she rises up and sings out possibility and in so doing raises the audience out of complacency and depression.

Here’s to Joan Baez. Brava! For 50 years and counting. The world needs you more than ever.