Before The Deluge Revisited Jackson Browne and Joan Baez Unite in San Francisco
On February 8, 2025, Jackson Browne and Joan Baez shared the stage for a deeply meaningful performance of Before The Deluge at The Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco. The song was presented during a sold out benefit concert titled Sweet Relief Presents A Night To Honor Joan Baez, an event that celebrated her enduring influence on American music and activism while raising support for musicians in need.
Before The Deluge occupies a special place in the history of both artists. Jackson Browne originally released the song on his third studio album Late For The Sky in 1974, where it emerged as one of his most reflective and socially aware compositions. Joan Baez later recorded her own interpretation for Honest Lullaby in 1979, bringing a different emotional shading to the song through her distinct vocal presence. Their shared history with the piece extends back decades, including a joint performance in 1989 for Baez’s PBS concert special.
The San Francisco performance carried the weight of that shared past. Browne delivered the song with the calm authority of an artist who has lived with its message for more than fifty years. Baez, standing beside him, brought a quiet intensity that underscored the song’s themes of moral reckoning and collective responsibility. Rather than attempting to modernize the material, the two artists allowed the song to speak through experience and restraint.
They were joined on stage by an accomplished ensemble. Joe Henry contributed guitar textures that supported the song’s reflective tone. David Piltch provided a steady and grounded bass foundation, while Gabe Harris maintained a subtle and controlled rhythmic pulse on drums. Greg Leisz added atmospheric depth with pedal steel guitar, and Jason Crosby enriched the arrangement with keyboards and fiddle. Together, the group created a spacious and respectful setting that allowed Browne and Baez to remain at the emotional center of the performance.
The audience response reflected the significance of the moment. The Masonic Auditorium, filled to capacity, remained attentive throughout the song, recognizing it not simply as a performance but as a reunion of two voices that have long stood for artistic integrity and social awareness. The clarity of the 4K recording further preserves the intimacy of the evening, capturing expressions and interactions that reveal the mutual respect between the performers.
This one night event did more than honor Joan Baez’s legacy. It reaffirmed the lasting relevance of Before The Deluge and demonstrated how songs rooted in conscience and reflection continue to resonate across generations.