Joni Mitchell thought Joan Baez would have “broken my leg”. Baez didn’t even see her as competition
Joni Mitchell once joked that Joan Baez would have “broken my leg”, suggesting she saw Baez as a rival. Baez, however, said she never considered anyone competition, confident that no one had a voice like hers. The contrast highlights how perceptions of rivalry between prominent folk musicians did not necessarily reflect Baez’s own view.
Baez’s career overlapped with major events including the civil rights movement and protests against the Vietnam War. Although she rarely wrote her own songs, she became known for her singing and interpretations of material such as Bob Dylan’s work, as well as songs including “Birmingham Sunday” and “Farewell, Angelina”. She later told The Guardian that she was not close to Mitchell, but once called her to say how deeply Mitchell’s paintings had moved her.
In short
- Mitchell joked Baez would have broken her leg.
- Baez said she never saw anyone as competition.
- She was confident in her distinctive voice.
Explained simply
Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez were prominent singers who emerged from the folk music scene of the 1960s. Their careers overlapped, but they had different approaches: Mitchell wrote many of her own songs, while Baez became known for her voice and interpretations of songs by other writers.
Baez’s music was associated with the civil rights movement and protests against the Vietnam War. Her performances helped bring songs such as “Birmingham Sunday” and “Farewell, Angelina” to a wide audience.
The two singers were not close, and their accounts suggest they did not share the same view of rivalry. Baez said she never regarded other singers as competition, but once called Mitchell to tell her how much Mitchell’s paintings had moved her.