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At 85, Joan Baez Renews Her Protest Voice With Sharp Critique of U.S. Leadership

Recent comments underscore her continued willingness to challenge those in power.

Overview

  • Baez turns 85 on January 9, 2026, after six decades as a defining voice of American protest music.
  • In a 2025 TV appearance, she warned that U.S. democracy is “going up in flames” and said the country is run by “really incompetent billionaires.”
  • Recent reporting says her political anger has drawn her back into public action, including singing at demonstrations, writing a poem, and planning new protest songs.
  • She has largely stepped back from the stage since a 2019 farewell tour, releasing her most recent album in 2018 and fronting a 2023 autobiographical documentary.
  • Her legacy was forged in the 1960s, notably singing “We Shall Overcome” at the 1963 Civil Rights March and helping introduce Bob Dylan to wider audiences.