In 1956, Joan Baez fheard the album that inspired her to become a musician. In 2022, her son was moved to tears by the “prophet” behind it

Joan Baez says Harry Belafonte’s music and example helped inspire her to become a musician and shaped her commitment to using her public profile for social change. His influence also challenged the early folk scene’s preference for traditional songs, showing her that music could blend folk with other rhythms and styles.

Baez recalled that her mother brought home Belafonte’s 1956 album, and the family were struck by his appearance before they had even listened to it. She later covered his songs and met him through their shared support for Martin Luther King Jr; when her family visited him in his nineties around 2022, her son was moved to tears and called him a prophet.