Premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on THIRTEEN & THIRTEEN HD

Joan Baez made her debut appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. Fifty years later she returned to that same Rhode Island stage on August 2, marking her and the festival’s 50th anniversaries. She is presently on a worldwide tour in celebration of her 50 years as a performer and in support of her Grammy-nominated CD, Day After Tomorrow.

In the first comprehensive documentary to chronicle the private life and public career of Joan Baez, American Masters examines her history as a recording artist and performer as well as her remarkable journey as the conscience of a generation. The film features rare performance footage and candid interviews with David Crosby, Bob Dylan, ex-husband David Harris, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Roger McGuinn, and more.

On the American Masters Web site, watch a preview of the film, learn about her career in Fifty Years of Joan Baez, read an essay by the filmmaker Mary Wharton, and learn more about her latest album Day After Tomorrow.