Legendary folk icon Joan Baez celebrated her 75th birthday in grand style with a star-studded concert at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, recorded for PBS’ Great Performances. Among the night’s most unforgettable highlights was her breathtaking duet with fellow folk pioneer Paul Simon, which has since gone viral, amassing over 10 million YouTube views.
At 73 years old during the performance, Paul Simon joined Joan for a moving rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s classic hit “The Boxer,” from their iconic Bridge Over Troubled Water album. Backed by legendary guitarist Richard Thompson, their lush harmonies and guitar melodies gave the song a depth of emotion only decades of artistry could achieve. Lyrics like “I am older than I once was / And younger than I’ll be” resonated beautifully with the audience, encapsulating the bittersweet passage of time.
The concert featured 22 songs, each performed with legendary collaborators, including David Crosby, Damien Rice, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Joan also delivered stunning solo performances and closed the show with Bob Dylan’s timeless “Forever Young.” This birthday celebration marked the launch of Joan’s 2016 North American tour, organized in partnership with Amnesty International to address racial and ethnic disparities in incarceration.
This wasn’t Joan’s first time covering “The Boxer”; she had previously performed it solo in 1981 at the Oakland Auditorium and again with Paul Simon at the 1982 Bread and Roses charity concert. Though only an audio recording survives of their earlier duet, this 2016 rendition remains a masterpiece of nostalgia and musical brilliance.
Joan Baez’s career spans over six decades, marked by her activism and artistry. From performing at Woodstock and protesting the Vietnam War to releasing 25 albums, she has remained a powerful voice for change. Her dedication to human rights, LGBT+ advocacy, and music has made her a legend in every sense of the word.
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