Bob Dylan’s list of long-term musical collaborators is short, but one name stands out: Joan Baez. Not only was she Dylan’s former girlfriend, but she also played a significant role in bringing his music to a wider audience in 1963. However, their last public performance together came during their 1984 European tour, and with Baez now retired from performing, it seems unlikely there will ever be another.
In her 1987 memoir, “And a Voice to Sing With,” Baez reflected on the tour, revealing how she was promised equal billing and duets every night, but instead, she was marginalized and disrespected. From the promoters to Dylan’s security, Baez was treated coldly, making her eventual exit from the tour almost inevitable.
During the third night of the tour, Dylan invited her onstage in Hamburg, Germany, for a strained rendition of “Blowin’ in the Wind.” She was invited again in Munich, but the performances were lackluster. By the time the tour reached Copenhagen, Baez had had enough and confronted Dylan in his dressing room. She recalls a disturbing encounter, with Dylan acting detached and inappropriate. In response, she firmly rejected his advances and walked out, ending their musical partnership for good.
The end of their collaboration was far from the harmonious connection they once shared. Baez’s memoirs highlight the frustration and disillusionment she felt, and despite their shared history, Dylan has never publicly addressed the tensions or her allegations. Even when they both performed at the 2010 White House Civil Rights concert, they deliberately avoided each other.
Their final duet of “Blowin’ in the Wind” in 1984 serves as a bittersweet reminder of a once-beautiful partnership now clouded by years of bitterness.
