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ORIGINAL LP
Joan Baez was released in October 1960 on Vanguard in the US with black 'Stereolab' labels [VSD 2077], which was the label's shortlived hi-fi series. Rick Stafford's high-contrast black and white cover was used on Vanguard releases, with sleeve notes on the back by producer/Vanguard Records founder, Maynard Solomon. The mono version had the catalogue number VRS 9078.

The UK release came out on Fontana in mono [TFL 6002, pictured below] and stereo [STFL 6002] and featured a different, monochrome portrait of the singer on the cover. Rather confusingly, this is the same photograph featured on the sleeve of her second album, 1961's Joan Baez Vol. 2.

In some European territories, including Italy and Germany where it was released in both stereo and mono on the Amadeo label, the album was titled Joan Baez 1 [AVRS 9113]. The Mexico version was Volumen 1, in mono, with the track title and sleeve notes translated into Spanish. [Vanguard/Gamma, CV-036].

CASSETTE
Joan Baez was released on stereo cassette in the US in 1960 [Vanguard M 51635], with the 'Stafford' photo and black shells, and a ¼in four-track stereo reel-to-reel [VTC-1635]. When it was reissued on cassette in 1987, also in the US on Vanguard, it came in a salmon pink and black cover with transparent shells.

FIRST CD
The first silver disc release came in 1987 in both Europe and the US as Joan Baez Volume 1 [VMD-2077-2, pictured below]. In 2011 a CD reissue titled The Debut Album Plus! Was released by Chrome Dreams [CDCD5063], including ten tracks from the Boston 1959 sessions that yielded Folk Singers 'Round Harvard Square. The insert includes a reproduction of a vintage postcard of Harvard Square.

Joan Baez was also re-released on State Of Art in Europe in 2018 [81216] with an additional seven tracks from the Boston 1959 sessions, plus Maynard Solomon's original liner notes with extra material and photographs.

AUDIOPHILE VINYL LP
There have been a number of vinyl reissues of Joan Baez including a 2007 release in the UK on Pure Pleasure/Vanguard. This was remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, but because the original stereo tapes had deteriorated it was actually remastered using the mono ones. The LP carries the catalogue number VSD 2077, but perhaps more accurately it should read VRS 9078, the mono catalogue number.

Also available in the UK is a 2023 worldwide release of Joan Baez on 180g red vinyl that arrived on 20th Century Masterworks [350251]. This reissue includes two bonus tracks from the 1959 sessions.