From coffeehouses to festivals, boomers will recall the distinctive sound of Joan Baez, who has shared folk music with the world for more than 50 years. Baez merges her distinctive vocal style with ballads, rock, gospel and country.

A musical force of nature whose influence is incalculable, Joan Baez’s performances are an acknowledgment of the human condition with landmark songwriting that has stood the test of time. From her earliest records, her style has been a mix of traditional ballads, blues, lullabies, cowboy tunes, ethnic folk staples of American and non-American vintage and much more. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Town" is one of her most remembered tunes.

She recorded her first solo LP for Vanguard Records in the summer of 1960, the beginning of a prolific 14-album, 12-year association with the label.

Among the songs she introduced on her earliest albums that would find their ways into the repertoire of 60’s rock stalwarts were “House Of the Rising Sun” (the Animals), “John Riley” (the Byrds), “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” (Led Zeppelin), “What Have They Done To the Rain” (the Searchers), “Jackaroe” (Grateful Dead), and “Long Black Veil” (the Band), to name a few.

In 1963, Joan began touring with Bob Dylan and recording his songs, a bond that came to symbolize the folk music movement for the next two years. At the same time, Joan began her lifelong role of introducing songs from a host of contemporary singer-songwriters starting with Phil Ochs, Richard Fariña, Leonard Cohen, Tim Hardin, and Paul Simon.

Joan Baez performs at the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater, July 6, 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 - $45.