Joan Baez

The American folk singer, guitarist and composer Joan Baez was born on January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York. With her high, clear and bright voice and her acoustic guitar along with her strong commitment to civil and human rights, she emerged in the 1960s as a prominent figure in American folk music.

Her interest in folk songs was woken early and the young Joan had her breakthrough as a performer at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. The next year came her debut album, the LP Joan Baez, with traditional folk ballads like Silver Dagger, East Virginia, Mary Hamilton, Wildwood Flower and Henry Martin.

The following years her political, social and peace commitment and repertoire came to include more of protest and civil rights songs, among them the famous We Shall Overcome. In the early 60s she promoted and appeared together with the then still unknown Bob Dylan, with whom she also came to have a close relationship for some years. She was also involved in protests against the Vietnam War and went with Martin Luther King in his civil rights marches.

Joan Baez with Bob Dylan

Her career and social involvement has continued uninterrupted through the years and Joan Baez is still active. In 2009 she sang We Shall Overcome along with former Czech President Vaclav Havel in Prague and in 2010 she performed the same song at the White House for an audience including President Barack Obama.

In the late 60's Joan Baez married anti-Vietnam War protester David Harris and they had a son together. The marriage lasted admittedly only until 1973, but Joan and David have still remained friends. "I am made to live alone," is her own comment. She also had a relationship with Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs.

Her horoscope looks like this:

Joan Baez, 9 January 1941, 10:45, Staten Island, New York, USA

(Source: Astro DataBank)

Most prominent signs are Capricorn (with the Sun, Mercury, Midheaven, Tenth and Eleventh Houses), Sagittarius (with Venus, the Ninth House and Mars), Gemini (with the Moon and the Third House), Aries (with the Ascendant and the South Lunar node) and Taurus (with Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and the Second House). The Earth element predominates, followed by the Fire element - we are dealing with a practical, reliable and stubborn person who is simultaneously also enthusiastic and passionate, motivated and creative.

The horoscope's quadrants and hemispheres are in mutual balance. The Sun is in Capricorn in the Tenth House of career and public while the Moon is in Gemini in the Second House of talents, resources and values.

The Ascendant in Aries reflects an active, courageous, spontaneous and determined person who is not afraid of challenges and who is perceived by the environment as fearless and independent. Decisiveness and willpower are plentiful. The South Lunar node, also in Aries, in conjunction with the Ascendant, is adding to all this, especially since it forms a Fire Trine together with the Ascendant with the Ascendant and horoscope ruler Mars in Sagittarius in the Eighth House and with Pluto in Leo in the Fifth House of creativity and artistic performances. The Grand Trine also creates double Kite formations with the North Lunar node in Libra in the Seventh House and with the Moon in Gemini in the Second House of talent and resources.

Mercury in Capricorn in the Tenth House of career and success in conjunction with the Sun and ruling via Gemini the Third House of communication demonstrates that the folk singer Joan Baez managed to use her successful career to bring out her message.

The Moon in Gemini rules via Cancer the Fifth House of creativity and self-expression and demonstrates a soft image, which yet receives a considerable force from Pluto in Leo in this creative house. Pluto is connected, via sextiles, to both the Gemini Moon and the North Lunar node. Neptune, planet of music and artistry, forms trines both to Uranus and the Moon, plus a sextile to Chiron in Cancer in the Fifth House in conjunction with Pluto.

The Moon's opposition from Gemini in the Second House to Mars in Sagittarius in the Eighth House indicates a strong emotional commitment and a desire to assert one's own views and to take conflict if necessary. There is both courage and tenacity as well as power and strength. Mars in Sagittarius forms trines to Pluto and Chiron in the Fifth House, which reflects her "vocation" to want to right the ills she sees around her as well as a gift to speak up on behalf of the weak and oppressed.

Her musical and artist career is highlighted by Jupiter-disposed Venus in conjunction with the Midheaven in Saturn-ruled Capricorn. The same union of Jupiter and Saturn energies is found in the First House conjunction between these two planets in earthy Taurus.

The revolutionary thinker and social activist is reflected by Uranus in Taurus in the Second House which forms trines with the Sun and Mercury in the Tenth House and with Neptune in Virgo in conjunction with the North Lunar node in Libra.

Returning to the Fifth House of creativity and the conjunction between Pluto in Leo and Chiron in Cancer, we sense something of the artist's profound emotional nature and the deep pain behind the transformative message she wants to convey through her music. And where do we find Pars Fortunae – "the Part of Fortune" - if not here in Leo and the Fifth House! Clearly Joan Baez' joy and fulfillment are in serving as a shining example for others (Leo) and to perform her music, her songs, in her own way (the Fifth House).

© Mats Bergman 2013