With
Joan Baez - February 2, 1988 - Santa Clara
I
was singing with the
“West Coast Players” in Santa Clara, at a small bar called The
Horseshoe Lounge. We came in to set up the bandstand for the
night and, as usual, there were folks on the dance floor learning a
‘line-dance” routine to some recorded music. One of the
people going around the floor was a woman who looked just like Joan
Baez, but younger! I kept looking at her, and finally I asked
someone if that was Joan Baez’ sister ..they said no, it WAS Joan
Baez! She looked younger than her recent photos, so I was
surprised at that …but MORE surprised to find one of my musical
heroines
right there in a tiny bar in Santa Clara … taking country line dance
lessons. I was in awe.
When all the dancers
finally sat down and we were ready to start, I
went over to her, introduced myself and told her what an honor it was
to meet her and to have her there at our little club. She was extremely
friendly and polite and said she was glad to be there, and how she
enjoyed taking line dance lessons sometimes. (Evidently she was
between tours and she lives just “up the road” in Woodside).
We started our set and she sat there listening. It was such a highlight
for me to have her in the audience. Hers was one of the first albums I
bought after I learned to play guitar in 1963 at age 13. My Joan Baez
album was one that I treasured … and here she was sitting right in
front
of our band... listening to us! 
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, she approached the
bandstand. I thought she was going to ask to hear a certain song, but
instead, she asked me, “May I sing with you”? (May i sing with
you????!!! Sheeesh!) I didn’t think I heard her right, so she
repeated it and I stammered out, “Yes of course!” So up she stepped on
the stage and we decide to do “The Rose”. I sang lead the first
verse and she harmonized, then we switched parts for the second verse,
then gave a break to the guitar player, then back to the lead for me
again for the last verse. All during the song, I had to really keep my
composure. I felt like laughing because I was enjoying every single
note; I knew this would probably never happen again. I was also almost
in tears because it meant so much to me, but I was so happy I woudn't
let it go to tears ... besides I reeeeeally wanted to finish the
song! Luckily there was a friend with a camera there that night,
and he captured the moment, otherwise I’m sure no one would have ever
believed me!
A few years later I had one of the shots of us in front of the
bandstand blown up to a little larger photo. I wondered if I could have
Joan sign it. So figuring “it could happen” (my motto), I looked up
Joan’s management contact information and was soon communicating with
Joan’s secretary and good friend, Nancy Lutzow. I asked if there
was any chance of Joan signing the photo. Nancy very
graciously said she’d see if Joan would sign it and she’d send it back
to me. I soon received the photo back, and it was signed,“Love to
you, Suzanne.. Ah, the good ole days… Joan”. It’s framed and
proudly up on my wall.cert
with Joan
Baez
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by Dasha
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