Why This '80s Rock Icon Feared Joan Baez Would Fight Him
Rob Halford had no idea what to expect when he met folk legend Joan Baez at Live Aid in 1985 — except for a confrontation over "wrecking" her iconic song, 'Diamonds And Rust.'
The musician spoke to APin an article shared on Thursday, July 10. He revealed that during the star-studded Live Aid concert, which was broadcast globally and featured performances from rock legends like Queen, The Who, and Led Zeppelin, the Judas Priest frontman found himself caught between excitement and nerves. Halford, 73, had long admired Baez, 84, but worried that she might take issue with the band's hard-hitting version of her classic tune.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬'I thought, 'Oh my God, she's gonna come and kick me in the a** for wrecking her beautiful song,'' Halford recalled, speaking with the outlet ahead of the 40th anniversary of Live Aid.
But to his surprise, when Baez approached him, she wasn't upset. Instead, she offered a quick hug and shared a touching message from her son. 'The reason I'm here is because my son said to me, if you see Rob Halford from Judas Priest at the Live Aid Show in Philadelphia, will you tell him from me that I prefer Judas Priest's version to my mom's version?' Halford remembers her saying. '…It was a display of such kindness,' Halford noted.
The event was held at Philadelphia's John F. Kennedy Stadium and featured multiple popular musical groups at the time. Reflecting on the concert, Halford also fondly recalled highlights like Mick Jagger and Tina Turner's performances, as well as Led Zeppelin's iconic reunion.
The event raised over $125 million for famine relief in Ethiopia, and was broadcast to an audience of over 1.9 billion people in more than 150 countries, making it one of the largest global television events of its time.
Why This '80s Rock Icon Feared Joan Baez Would Fight Him first appeared on Parade on Jul 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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