''Dark Chords on a Big Guitar'' is the twenty-fourth studio album (and twenty-sixth overall) by

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

, released in September 2003. The album is more rock-oriented than her prior releases, and it is mostly composed of work by

Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...

songwriters, including

Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...

and

Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music g ...

. The title was taken from a line in Greg Brown's song "Rexroth's Daughter". Critics and listeners were surprised that Baez's voice had lost little of its original power and beauty, given that she was sixty-two when she made the album. The album, produced by Mark Spector, was recorded at Allaire Studios,

Shokan, New York Shokan is a hamlet (and census-designated place) located in the town of Olive in Ulster County, New York, United States, within the Catskill Park. The population was 1,183 at the 2010 census. History It was relocated to its present site in the ear ...

, from January to April 2003. Backing musicians included George Javori and Duke McVinnie. Baez dedicated the album to

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American filmmaker, author and left-wing activist. His works frequently address the topics of globalization and capitalism. Moore won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for ' ...

Track listing

# "Sleeper" ( Greg Brown) – 4:35 # "In My Time of Need" (

) – 4:33 # "Rosemary Moore" (

Caitlin Cary Caitlin Cary (born October 28, 1968) is an alternative country musician and visual artist from Seville, Ohio. Early life Caitlin Cary is the youngest of seven siblings (all older brothers). Her entire family was involved in music to some degre ...

) – 5:15 # "Caleb Meyer" (

Gillian Welch Gillian Howard Welch (; born October 2, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, bluegrass, countr ...

David Rawlings David Todd Rawlings (born December 31, 1969) is an American guitarist, singer, and record producer. He is known for his partnership with singer and songwriter Gillian Welch. He and Welch were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Son ...

) – 2:31 # "Motherland" (

) – 4:44 # "Wings" (

Josh Ritter Josh Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author who performs and records with the Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006, he was named one of ...

) – 4:01 # "Rexroth's Daughter" (Greg Brown) – 5:19 # "Elvis Presley Blues" (Gillian Welch, David Rawlings) – 4:40 # "King's Highway" (

Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...

) – 3:28 # "Christmas in Washington" (

) – 5:13

Personnel

*Rani Arbo – Background Vocals *Greg Calbi – Mastering *Steve Chadie – Assistant Engineer *Matthew Cullen – Assistant Engineer *

Gail Ann Dorsey Gail Ann Dorsey (born November 20, 1962) is an American musician. With a long career as a session musician mainly on bass guitar, she is perhaps best known for her lengthy residency in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to Bowie's death in 2016. Asid ...

– Background Vocals *James Harley – Assistant Engineer *Byron Isaacs – Electric & Acoustic Bass *George Javori – Drums *Brandon Mason – Engineer, Mixing *Duke McVinnie – Guitar, Bass *Norman Moore – Art Direction, Design, Photography *

Doug Pettibone Doug Pettibone (born in Los Angeles, California) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and studio musician. Career Doug Pettibone started to play the guitar at the age of eight. His first teacher was Andy Summers, formerly of The Police ...

– Acoustic Guitar *

Bo Ramsey Bo Ramsey (born Robert Franklin Ramsey, 1951 in Burlington, Iowa, United States) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording producer. Career He made his debut in Williamsburg, Iowa in 1973, fronted the Mother Blues Band, and ro ...

– Producer *Mark Spector – Producer *Greg Tobler – Assistant Engineer *Tom Tucker – Engineer *Dana Tynan – Photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2003 albums Joan Baez albums