In a career spanning nearly six decades, legendary folk singer Joan Baez has been a pioneering figure in both music and social justice. Emerging from the ranks of groundbreaking male contemporaries like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan, Baez brought a much needed feminist presence and perspective to the protest music of the 1960s, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in civil rights, human rights and the environment. On the occasion of Baez’s 75th birthday in January 2016, GREAT PERFORMANCES presents a star-studded concert from New York City’s Beacon Theater to celebrate Baez’s wide-ranging influence and impact, featuring performances by Paul Simon, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, Damien Rice, David Bromberg, Nano Stern and Richard Thompson
Jimmy Carter – Rock & Roll President
JIMMY CARTER: ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT shows how Carter‘s lifelong passion for music gave him an unexpected edge as a presidential candidate as he tapped into a force that transcended racial and generational divides, and often party lines. Carter’s appreciation for all genres of music and friendships with the likes of Bob Dylan, Gregg Allman, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, and Willie Nelson helped to define his administration. JIMMY CARTER: ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT combines intimate interviews with Carter and an eclectic cast of contributors including Willie Nelson, Bono, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jimmy Buffett, Rosanne Cash, Chuck Leavell, Paul Simon, Andrew Young and Madeleine Albright. Featuring rare archival era-defining live performances from Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, among others, director Mary Wharton traces how Carter’s genuine approachability, combined with the unifying power of music, became key to his political appeal, and allowed him to connect with voters who may only have known him as a small-town peanut farmer. „As joyful and buoyant as its music.“ The Hollywood Reporter