Joan Baez sings Bob Dylan’s Forever Young

Written by Michael Barrett

Associate Artistic Director, NYFOS

In category: Song of the Day

Published October 10, 2018

What is a populist voice? People talk about Johnny Cash and sometimes Willy Nelson as authentic folksters, singing about the American experience, failures  and aspirations. NYFOS was recently at Exeter Academy, one of our finest prep schools. I was busy conducting  the orchestra, and Steve Blier was giving a vocal master class in another room.  He mentioned Joan Baez as a vocal example. The student politely asked “who’s Joan Baez?” Boys and Girls, here is Joan Baez. She was big in the 60’s and 70’s and is still big as far as I’m concerned. I knew she was good when I was a kid, because my Dad couldn’t stand her. He also hated Barbara Streisand, so I figured they were both fabulous singers. I was right. Here she is singing Bob Dylan’s song “Forever Young” . NYFOS did this song recently at Juilliard for the Bolcom/Corigliano 80th birthday celebration. It was John Corigliano’s setting. I did it for John Guare’s 80th birthday. It’s a real beauty. Thanks, Bob.

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Michael Barrett is the co-founder and associate artistic director of New York Festival of Song, as well as the co-founder and music director of the Moab Music Festival in Utah. A conductor and a pianist, Michael was a protégé of Leonard Bernstein and serves as music advisor to the Leonard Bernstein Estate.

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