Episode 47 (Bonus): Joan Baez on the Beatles' biggest thrill coming to America: "A Coca-Cola machine you didn't have to put any money in."

On this episode, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and activist Joan Baez joins host Ken Womack to share her memories of meeting the Beatles for the first time and witnessing their final live concert.

Baez's time-eclipsing folk music often champions songs of protest and social justice. Over the years, she has recorded 30 albums in genres ranging from folk rock, pop and country to gospel music. As a performer, Baez has specialized in interpreting the work of other composers, recording songs by such luminaries as the Beatles, Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, and many others.

Baez began her recording career in 1960, producing a trio of successful LPs in Joan Baez, Joan Baez, Vol. 2 and Joan Baez in Concert. During her early years, Baez was one of Bob Dylan’s first major collaborators, steadfastly working to popularize his impact upon folk music. She was also a featured performer at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, singing fourteen songs on that vaunted stage.

In addition to her musical career, Baez has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in the areas of nonviolence, civil rights, human rights, and the environment. In 2017, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2023, Baez was the subject of the acclaimed documentary "I Am A Noise."