Diamonds & Rust is a 1975 album by Joan Baez. Baez is often regarded as an interpreter of other people’s work, and on this album she covered songs written or played by Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, The Allman Brothers, and Jackson Browne. But Diamonds & Rust also contained a number of her own compositions, including the acclaimed title track, a distinctive song written about Bob Dylan.
The title track was covered by British heavy metal band Judas Priest on their 1977 album Sin After Sin, and has since been one of their staples in live performance. American folk duo The Smith Sisters featured the song on their 1986 album Mockingbird. Anglo-American Renaissance rock band Blackmore’s Night covered the song on their 2003 album Ghost of a Rose. Finnish power metal band Thunderstone covered the song on their 2004 album The Burning.
On her cover of Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate”, one verse features Baez attempting a good-humoured impersonation of the song’s composer.
An alternate recording of “Dida” had appeared on the previous year’s Gracias A la Vida. The Diamonds & Rust recording of the song was more uptempo and featured duet vocals by Joni Mitchell.
Tracks 1 Diamonds And Rust (Joan Baez) 4:30 2 Fountain Of Sorrow (Jackson Browne) 4:16 3 Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) 2:36 4 Children And All That Jazz (Joan Baez) 2:58 5 Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob Dylan) 4:30 6 Blue Sky (Dickey Betts) 2:37 7 Hello In There (John Prine) 2:54 8 Jesse (Janis Ian) 4:13 9 Winds Of The Old Days (Joan Baez) 3:42 10 Di Da (Joan Baez) 3:15 11 I Dream Of Jeannie Danny Boy Medley (Fred Weatherly, Stephen Foster) 3:58
Musicians
1 Diamonds And Rust Bass - Wilton Felder Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Dean Parks Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Harpsichord - David Paich Synthesizer - Joan Baez Piano - Joe Sample
2 Fountain Of Sorrow Bass - Reinie Press Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Larry Carlton Pedal Steel Guitar - Red Rhodes Acoustic Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Dean Parks Piano - Joe Sample Piano - Larry Knechtel Percussion - Jim Gordon
3 Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer Bass - Reinie Press Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Dean Parks Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Piano - Joe Sample Piano - Larry Knechtel Synthesizer - Malcolm Cecil
4 Children And All That Jazz Bass - Wilton Felder Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Dean Parks Guitar - Larry Carlton Piano - Joe Sample Piano - Hampton Hawes Flute - Tom Scott Percussion - Jim Gordon
5 Simple Twist Of Fate Bass - Reinie Press Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Dean Parks Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Piano - Joe Sample Piano - Larry Knechtel Percussion - Jim Gordon
6 Blue Sky Bass - Wilton Felder Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Dean Parks Guitar - Larry Carlton Pedal Steel Guitar - Red Rhodes Acoustic Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Hammond Organ - Joe Sample Piano - David Paich Percussion - Jim Gordon
7 Hello In There Bass - Reinie Press Bass - Wilton Felder Drums - Jim Gordon Acoustic Guitar - Dean Parks Pedal Steel Guitar - Red Rhodes Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Hammond Organ - Joe Sample Percussion - Jim Gordon
8 Jesse Bass - Wilton Felder Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Larry Carlton Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Piano - David Paich Synthesizer - Joan Baez
9 Winds Of The Old Days Bass - Reinie Press Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Dean Parks Guitar - Larry Carlton Pedal Steel Guitar - Red Rhodes Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez
10 Di Da Bass - Max Bennett Drums - John Guerin Guitar - Rick Lotempio Acoustic Guitar - Joan Baez Piano - Joe Sample Flute - Tom Scott Sax - Jim Horn - Sax - Tom Scott Trumpet - Buck Monari Trumpet - Ollie Mitchell Vocals - Joni Mitchell
11 I Dream Of Jeannie Danny Boy Medley Piano - Larry Knechtel
Liner Notes
Producer – David Kershenbaum, Joan Baez Producer (Executive) – Bernard Gelb Arranged By – Joan Baez, Larry Carlton Arranged By (Strings) – Larry Carlton (Tracks 3, 4, 5) Conductor – Larry Carlton (Tracks 3, 4, 5) Engineer (Assistant) – Ellis Sorkin Engineer (Mix, Recording) – Rick Ruggieri (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 7, 8, 10) Leader (Strings) – Sidney Sharp (Tracks 3, 4, 5) Mastered By – Mike ReeseDesign – Bob Cato
Liner Notes
– Bernard Gelb Photography – Irene HarrisMastered At The Mastering Lab Recorded At Wally Heider Studios Recorded At A&M Studios Recorded At Cecil & Margouleff Remixed At Sound Labs, Hollywood Remixed At Producers Workshop Phonographic Copyright A&M Records Inc Copyright A&M Records Inc
