Mimi Baez very ill

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,Wavestar
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 10:26 AM

Amen to everything said here. Best wishes to her and her family.

-J

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Giac
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 08:34 AM

This is what appears on one of the Joan Baez web pages:

"2001 TOUR DATES

"Regretfully, we must announce that Joan's tour has been cancelled. She has decided to put all touring on hold for the time being, and has issued the following statement.

" 'Due to a family health crisis, I am reluctantly forced to cancel all of my touring plans for the immediate future. My sister, Mimi, is in a battle with cancer, and as she continues to fight her illness, I feel an increasing need to be by her side. I will very much miss seeing all of you and look forward to doing so as soon as my situation allows.' "

"Joan Baez

"Thanks to all of you for your understanding, and we hope you will keep Mimi and Joan (and their loved ones) in your thoughts and prayers."


I don't know when this was put on the site, hadn't checked it in awhile. -Giac

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 09:21 PM

So, does anybody know the current status on Mimi? How is she? And Joan too, how is she?

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: harpgirl
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 09:00 PM

Poem for a Woman Who Loved
by Richard Farina

Spent and done, she fell away with no more sound
than what the bangles whispered at her wrist.
The feral tumbling nights that sang among her joys
rolled in silence now and roared no more.
While all the winking crystal of the noonday stars
could bring no light to eyes that failed to see.
The bronze and shimmering young sons of naked gods
had risen in their turn, with neither curse
nor benediction on their gilded lips,
and opened restless wings among the typhooned skies.
Smiling (in their turn) they reeled away,
leaving little but a blinded, aging moon
which bore no human company. Alone
she traced her sunning thighs with anxious fingers,
dreaming of the ceilings that she'd known.


I meant to add this a while back. The Farinas hold a special place in my musical heart...hg

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: LR Mole
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 01:54 PM

Yeah...if there's one song that's early romance for me it's "Reflections In a Crystal Wind", through a three-piece KLH record player. Sigh...
I know nothing about this book (out, I think, this week), but "Positively Fourth Street" is about Joan, Bob D.,Mimi, and Richard. Fascinating subject, anyway...

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: hesperis
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 10:34 AM

A friend of mine used to run the Village Corner Coffeehouse in Toronto back in the 60's and 70's. He has an old songbook with a whole bunch of pictures of Joan and Mimi at Newport and elsewhere, in the really early days. It's a strange feeling now to look at those...they were so young and beautiful.

It would be nice if we could all pack up our sorrows, wouldn't it?

My best wishes to Mimi, Joan, and the family. Love passes beyond all boundaries, and is with you now.

George

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,sed
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 09:47 PM

for Mimi whose tones touched me like a friend:

beautiful lady who always seemed so distant so restrained so determined to succeed anyway not only for herself but for the underdogs, kicked and scorned, belittled, ignored, loved by her and her friends: loved for their humanity. Oh, beautiful lady who married that crazy Cuban who rocked-out on his lap dulcimer and sang of forbidden subjects prematurely.

In an ugly dorm room at the University of Alabama I shut out my alcoholic room mate with headphones over my eager ears listening to the enchantment of Mimi and Dick only a few years after his ridiculous accident. Am I silly to have never wanted to ride a motorcycle after hearing of that?

So many beautiful ladies and gents singing quietly in the spirit of those two: singing, singing still, ever, gladly, happily, fully, openly: Praise God for all the sweet tones that come from folkies past and present: all the unknown Mimis and Dicks and Juans and Marias here and there, singing and strumming for the very pleasure of the echoes and vibrations and thoughts shared and personally beheld. God bless all the little people determined to enjoy life as it is as long as we can. God bless Mimi and may she know Him now and always. steve sedberry (with great thanks for all that incredible music that somehow reached me when I really needed it)

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: mice
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 12:04 PM

Dear Catters, Like all of you , my prayers, wishes and spirits go out to Mimi and her entire family and friends. A quiet angel ( Mimi is ) if there has ever been one. Keep Mimi in your hearts today and in the future by speaking and acting even more kinder than you all normally are. Make " Bread and Roses " real, in all of your lives and in this way " keeping Mimi in the forefront of your thoughts and deeds ". To the entire Baez family , All of our love & respect .

Mike Strobel

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: voyager
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 11:15 AM

Richard and Mimi Farina Apprection Page -- http://www.hlmusic.com/RichardMimiFarina.htm

I re-read LONG TIME COMING, A LONG TIME GONE (by Richard Farina with annotations by Mimi Baez) this summer and it tapped the deep well of happiness that the Farina/Baez clan has mined for our generation. READ THIS BOOK!

voyager FSGW Ghetto Silver Spring, Maryland.

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 08:30 PM

Dears Mimi, and Joan, if you're reading this, my love and blessings are with you all. Take joy in this new century! Old friend Jean Ritchie (and I do mean OLD!)

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,jaze
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 05:46 PM

Read on Joan Baez' website that she has cancelled her upcoming tour indefinitely to spend time at Mimi's side. Let's continue to send them our prayers

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Aoife
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:52 PM

Margaret, I am glad my thoughts spoke to you as well... When I first read this thread the other night, I became incredible saddened by it, and as Spaw has, I have been listening to "Reflections in a Crystal wind" for the past few days. Have you read Dick Farina's book? I just bought it, and now since I have graduated, I will hopefully have time to read it. Spaw, Mimi does indeed sing with pure emotion and "delivers" her music masterfully. "The quiet joys of brotherhood" is probably the best example of this. There has always been something very childlike in mimi's voice, from her early album to recent recordings. THis aura of innocence and purity has been what has attracted me to her voice. I wish I could meet her and offer her some consolation. In April,when I saw Joan in concert, my mother asked how Mimi was doing. Joan took a minute to respond, and than said "she is well in spirit, and isn't that the most important thing?" Perfect answer. -Aoife

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Margaret V
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 11:12 PM

Aoife, I've been feeling so sad since reading the news yesterday, but didn't really know how to express that sadness -- or how it could matter to anyone else for me to do so. But your post captured the sense of my sadness; the beauty of the music would have been enough, but somehow it seems tied to the happiness and beauty those photos project. They definitely have something to do with an ideal I've carried around with me since first coming upon them many years ago. Can't explain it more than that; but thanks for saying it well and honestly. I wish her peace and strength. We're lucky she has chosen to share her gifts for so long. Margaret

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,Sailormom
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:58 PM

Nadine could you e-mail me personally. [e-mail] Since your news is more optimistic than what I have gotten I'm interested in where and when you heard it. Several folks I know would love to be assured that it is true.

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: L R Mole
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 10:46 AM

Man...why does it take news like this to remind us of thanks, and humility, and how blessed we are in those instructors who put us in tune with own spheres and the bigger ones? Music is so properly about longing, and celebration, and connection, and the real songs (and the real singers) have always been there. And never leave. Bump, bump,bump Down the funny stairs....

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 09:04 AM

I've been listening to Richard and Mimi some since this thread started. Not that I don't anyway, but you know....just had to play a bit of them now. There's a thread running about Joan right now and someone commented that Joan sings without 'emotion" or words to that effect.

While I disagree with the thought, I have always felt that Mimi was far more the better one at "delivering" the song. You hear the story in her voice. Its a quality that I find hard to describe, but like other things, easy to accept. All you have to do is listen.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From:
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 03:42 AM

Dear all,

What i can say you is Mimi responding well to her chemotherapy treatments. The good new is her cancer to her lung is not spreading and she is very strong and healthy. She has excellent medical care and a great cirle of people who have her best interests at heart.

I knew Mimi and Richard since 3 years ago and i love their musics and lyrics. I meet Mimi this year for the first time in March in her show "Bread and Roses". It was wonderful for me to see on the same stage my favorites singers in my heart Joan, Pete Seeger and Mimi.

"Richard had passed away to the land of poet's pride" 8 months before my birth and i would like to talk with some people who knew Richard very well and know better him. Hope to correspond with you very soon.

Thank you by advance

Bye and love

Nadine

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From:
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 03:34 AM

Dear Aoife,

MIMI FARINA was borned in 30 april 1945

Bye,

Nadine

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: MudGuard
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:48 AM

Midchuck,
to get a ñ character, you have to type in ñ.
Watch out, the character entities are case sensitive!
ñ results in ñ and
Ñ results in Ñ
MudGuard

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Aoife
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:09 AM

Does anyone know exactly how old Mimi Farina is? I think she was born in 1945 or 47... -Aoife

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Aoife
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:35 AM

Spaw- what a perfect thing to say, "if somehow she could pack up her sorrows..." it brought tears to my eyes. Mimi Farina has done so many wonderful things with music since her marriage to Dick Farina. I feel like crying at the thought that the world of folk music will not have her voice or guitar playing for much longer. Of course, we must remember to Celebrate the Grey Day. Two of my favorite songs I have heard Mimi sing are Children of Darkness and Legend of a Girl Child Linda, which she sings with Joan and Judy Collins. It was recorded in 1965, she must have been around the same age as I am, at 18. Her face continues to be my ideal of human beauty. God bless her and her family.

-Aoife

If anyone really feels like crying, get a copy of "Baby let me follow you down," book by von Schmidt and Jim rooney. This book contains some pictures of pure happiness and beauty of Dick and Mimi in their early days, Mimi at her wedding, as a schoolgirl in Paris etc. Oh God now I am crying looking at them....

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Chris Seymour
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 10:33 PM

I discovered Mimi Farina rather late -- she was opening for Tom Paxton (whom I also discovered late -- I started with trad. stuff and moved from there to singer-songwriters) in Philadelphia in 1982 or thereabouts. Wonderful voice, wonderful songs. Wish there was something we could do to help.

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 05:33 PM

Very sad.I love her music...KGH

Subject: RE: Mimi Fariña very ill
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 02:47 PM

My thoughts too are with Mimi. Mimi's a friend from the days she used to play at the folk club I ran in Montreal in the '70s and '80s.

I was told of her illness back in January by a mutual friend but was asked to be discreet about it. I don't think she'd gone public yet. But there were stories about her in the San Francisco papers around the time of the Bread & Roses benefit in March.

And just for the record, she was using the name "Fariña" during the time she worked with Tom Jans. To my knowledge, she has not used "Baez" since she married Richard.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Art Thieme
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 01:06 PM

And thank you for passing on these sad facts. I opened for Mimi around '72 at Amazing Grace in Evanston, Illinois and have been a bit in love with her ever since. Terrible news. My best thoughts are with her...

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,Sailormom
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 12:26 PM

The first post refers to Mimi Baez because the last time I saw Mimi she was with Tom Jans...after Dicks death...and I thought she and Tom married, but I heard last summer that Tom also died so I wasn't aware of which name she is using these days. Haven't kept up with the Baez's for quite a few years. Had wonderful times with Joan, Mimi and Pauline in the 60's and 70's, in Big Sur. At the BS Folk Festivals, the Monterey Folk Festival in May of '63...Dick Farina was great...I loved their music together. She and Tom played together in '71...they all lived in my neck of the woods and we shared mutual friends. I did several concerts with them myself. Joan and I were pregnant at the same time and delivered our sons 6 weeks apart. They moved further North and I moved to London. I adored Joan's music and voice in the early days but lost interest in her later stuff. Just recently I updated some of her music on record to CD's and have been so enjoying listening again. When I was recently up in San Francisco area I ran into folks who were more in touch with Joan and Mimi. Heard the news of her ill health as there had just been a fundraiser and I guess it was shared then that she was in grave danger. I contacted old mutual friends and got the details, which I passed on here knowing there were probably fans of hers around.

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 08:22 AM

That's a hell of a bummer to start the day out with.

In law school, I lived a few blocks from Harvard Square (in the low-rent direction, I hasten to add - and I didn't attend Harvard, I went across the bridge) and spent many evenings avoiding study at the Club 47. Saw Mimi and Dick every time they were there that I could get away. He was the only good rock-and-roll fretted dulcimer player there ever was, until the guy who plays with Boiled in Lead, whose name I don't have available, came along.

I remember Memorial Day '66 as clearly as most people my age remember 11/22/63.

Never understood Mimi not achieving the same prominence her sister did. Their abilities were on a par, for my money.

Question: Why does the post refer to "Mimi Baez? As far as I know, she always kept the name, Farina (little squiggly thing over the "n" omitted because I don't know how to insert it, not 'cause I don't know how it's spelled). She uses it in the website linked above.

Is this a feminist's belief that a woman shouldn't be allowed to use her husband's name even if she chooses to, or a feeling that her maiden name should be used because her sister is better known and so more people will recognize it? I would argue with either theory.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 02:43 AM

What a sad and difficult situation. Bread & Roses just had their 25th anniversary this year. There is a beautiful message from Mimi about it, at this site:click here. Surely there is a special spot in heaven for such a caring soul.

kat

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: bbelle
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 12:46 AM

How very, very sad ... and how sad for her family ... being one of three sisters, I cannot imagine life without one of them ... moonchild

Subject: RE: Mimi Baez very ill
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 12:17 AM

Very sad........a lovely lady and a pretty voice that knows tragedy firsthand. If somehow she could pack up her sorrows........

Spaw

Subject: Mimi Baez very ill
From: GUEST,Sailormom
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 12:01 AM

I haven't been around these parts for quite awhile...but thought of y'all when I got the news this morning about Mimi's condition. I had heard a couple of weeks ago that she was very ill with cancer but had to do some probing of old friends to get the facts. Maybe you are already aware of this, but if not...here is the latest froma very reliable source. Rita, here's the scoop. Mimi is apparently dying . The cancer was discovered on her head and then traced to her lungs, she has gone through extensive chemo, is skin and bones and there is not much else they can do. This info is from a man that recently came to interview Nancy because he is writing a biography of Dick and Mimi. Evidently this man has written a bio of some other famous person and it was an excellent book, so Mimi has given him full cooperation. When Nancy called him to ask about Mimi, she wondered why he hadn't told her since they had spent several days together discussing Mimi. He said that his instructions were to not bring it up with people but if asked her could tell them.