Joan Baez has finally found “total forgiveness” for Bob Dylan.
The 82-year-old star began dating her musical collaborator in 1960, when he was still an unknown, but the ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ hitmaker abruptly ended their relationship in 1965, and though the ‘Farewell, Angelina’ singer harboured resentment towards the folk legend, also 82, for years, her art helped her learn to finally let go.
She told People magazine: “We were in our early 20s. We were stupid, and you can’t blame somebody forever. I certainly tried but finally stopped.”
Explaining how she found “total forgiveness” after painting a portrait of Dylan in his youth, she added: “I put his music on, and I just dissolved into tears. When I was through with the painting, I had no animosity left. None. It’s remained that way.”
Meanwhile, Joan – whose 1975 hit ‘Diamonds and Rust’ was inspired by her relationship with the ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ singer – is unsure if she will return to making music, having officially given up touring in 2019.
Asked if there is any possibility of new music, she said: “I don’t know. It seems a little late in the game.”
One reason for her reluctance is the ‘Here’s To You’ singer has found her voice has changed, but she likes the “challenge” of discovering what works in her new vocal register.
She said: “In order to sing anything, I have to give up the old one and any thoughts I had that I could really revitalise that.
“There’s some of it left that moves into this new era in the lower range, which is kind of fun for me. It’s a challenge.”
These days, Joan fills her time by drawing and writing poetry, as well as being with her son Gabriel Harris – who she has with late ex-husband David Harris – and his daughter Jasmine.
She said: “The word ‘retirement’ didn’t have any meaning to me, but it’s loosened up this creative energy that just kind of exploded.”
