– Ana Achata, Staff Writer
This Women’s History Month, we are highlighting different women artists all month! Today, we chose to put the spotlight on Joni Mitchell, one of the leading women in the folk scene. To learn more about her and her music, read this article!
The Beginning
Born Roberta Joan Anderson in 1943, the woman that we now know as Joni Mitchell was born on the prairie of Alberta, Canada. Alberta is one of three prairie provinces of Western Canada, characterized by rolling plains to the east and mountains to the west, which undoubtedly left their mark on Mitchell at a young age. After her first nine years of life, Joni Mitchell contracted polio and was hospitalized. Out of this suffering came the beginnings of what would become her signature sound. There are reports of Mitchell singing to the other children in the hospital, and after her initial recovery, the sickness would leave her with a weak left hand. Thus, Mitchell would begin her musical exploration on a Ukulele. The weakness in her hand made it difficult to use standard tunings, so she began to create her own, which lingered into her later musical career, serving as the base of her unique approach to songwriting and open tunings.
And, finally, in 1962 at age nineteen, Joni Mitchell began to appear on stage at small bars in Saskatoon, Canada. Originally singing with friends and drawing inspiration from jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Mitchell began the long, treacherous journey that many great musicians are forced to take. She spent much of her early career playing gigs in hotels, coffeehouses, and bars while struggling to make ends meet.
Growth of a Star
Then, in April of 1965, after a surprise pregnancy and three years of playing small gigs, American folk singer Charles Scott Mitchell entered the picture. “Chuck” Mitchell was Joni’s ticket to the USA, and she left Canada. The two began playing music together and married in June, barely two months after they met. Thanks to Chuck, Joni Mitchell secured steady musical work in the States, and she began playing up and down the coast in folk clubs after their divorce in 1967.
Musician David Crosby would stumble across Joni Mitchell that same year in Coconut Grove, Florida, and invite her to accompany him to Los Angeles, where she soon gained a manager and recorded her first album, Song to a Seagull. This was released in March, 1968. After touring to promote the album, excitement grew for the prospect of new Joni Mitchell music–People were starting to catch on! The next year marked the release of her second LP, Clouds, containing hits such as “Chelsea Morning” and “Both Sides, Now.”
In the next two years, Mitchell would release two more albums: Ladies of the Canyon and Blue. Not only this, but she would win a Grammy for Best Folk Performance, thanks to Clouds. Each of these albums was poetic and masterful, turning over a new leaf on which musicians and writers would begin to sing about the hardships of their own lives. Joni Mitchell was one of the first to do this with Blue, laying out her inner workings for everyone to see.
Starting Something New
After Mitchell’s successful beginning endeavors, she found herself being pulled back to the jazz sounds that she had loved so much in her earlier life. After For the Roses in 1972, Court and Spark came whirling towards the top of the charts in 1974, marking the beginning of Joni Mitchell’s experimental era. This was the height of her career in terms of how well-known she was–Court and Spark won her another Grammy, and the track “Raised on Robbery” became a Top 10 single.
1975 marked the release of Mitchell’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns, followed by Hejira in 1976. The latter was written mostly in a car on a road trip to Maine with some friends, but both pay homage to the compositions and sounds of the jazz musicians that young Joni Mitchell so admired. These albums weren’t necessarily flying off the shelves, but over time, have become loved and admired by the public.
Mitchell would go on to bring more explosive, magical, and experimental albums into the world, one after the other. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter and Mingus (created in collaboration with jazz composer Charles Mingus) followed her love of jazz, while Wild Things Run Fast and Dog Eat Dog, released in the early-to-mid 80s return to a more folk-pop sound. Joni Mitchell is alive and well today, having released four other albums since the late 80s as well as several newer versions of her older songs. Since then, Mitchell has returned to her earliest love: painting. Her music has remained well loved and has seen a resurgence in popularity among members of Gen Z as they search for meaning.
The Highlights
I know, it’s sort of a lot to take in–I used to refuse when my dad tried to get me into these legendary musicians because there’s just so much to listen to! I tend to return to her earlier work, but here are my top tracks by Joni Mitchell to get you started:
- “The Gallery” – Clouds: So beautiful, incredible harmonies that make me feel like I’m seeing angels. Tinged with romance and melancholy lyrics!
- “A Case of You” – Blue: More melancholy! And yet this track is so fun, featuring Joni’s signature guitar sound paired with poetic sayings about love (“You’re in my blood like holy wine” what a line!).
- “Car on a Hill” – Court and Spark: Here’s a tune to dance to! This one is a perfect example of the transition between her original folky sounds and her love for jazz.
- “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio” – For the Roses: Here’s another to dance to! One of my favorites, I think.
- “Shades of Scarlett Conquering” – The Hissing of Summer Lawns: Here’s a more mellow option, it sort of reminds me of a warm evening in August.
- “Blue Motel Room” – Hejira: Another chill option for you. There’s a sound reminiscent of old 1950s jazz ballads that Joni really nails in this track, while still letting her beautiful voice take the stage.
Happy Women’s History Month, and happy listening. Hopefully you found some new favorites.
