Singer, songwriter, activist Joan Baez named Guthrie recipient
TULSA, Okla. — Singer, songwriter, activist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Joan Baez is this year's recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize, an award that recognizes artists who speak out for the less fortunate.
Baez will be honored with a virtual ceremony on Aug. 16 during this year's virtual edition of the Philadelphia Folk Festival. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
Woody Guthrie Center Director Deana McCloud noted Baez's activism that included marching for civil rights and opposing the Vietnam War.
"A staunch activist, Ms. Baez has consistently been on the front lines in the fight for social justice, peace, and equality," McCloud said in a statement.
Baez said in the statement that she has followed in the footsteps of Guthrie.
"It has been my mission to use my music as a voice for those who cannot be heard or have been silenced by fear and powerlessness," Baez said.
Past recipients of the award include Chuck D, John Mellencamp, Norman Lear, Kris Kristofferson, Mavis Staples and Pete Seeger.
Support Canvas
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
If you've ever wanted to own a piece of Hollywood history, now's your chance. A pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers…
When Centurion was founded, it was the first group of its kind working to overturn wrongful convictions for people facing…
As major American museums reexamine their collections to ensure diversity and inclusion, there's a growing realization that they need more…
As a dancer, choreographer, director and speaker, Jamison's distinguished career leaped over barriers of race and gender.
In the 1980s, about 70 percent of clothes sold in the U.S. were made in the country. Today, it's down…
This is her first time receiving nominations in the country and Americana categories.
For many Muslim and Arab Americans, Israel's wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East are personal, and so…
A giant in the music and entertainment industry has died. Quincy Jones, known to many as 'Q,' was revered as…
Jones rose from music school dropout to the very heights of show business, becoming one of the first Black executives…
Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in the final days before the presidential election, playing herself…
During the final days of this tense election, we take a look at a project fostering a different type of…
The 33-year-old Grammy winning artist, whose given name is Jeffery Williams, entered his pleas without reaching a deal with prosecutors…
With the election days away, there is no shortage of reflections on American politics and democracy. Photographer Paul Shambroom has…
The quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to favorites such as "Young Frankenstein" and…