The 79-year-old songwriter and performer Joni Mitchell is one of those artists who have helped many in the world see what life and creativity can be through her poetic songwriting. The author of such songs as “Big Yellow Taxi” and “River,” Mitchell is part deity and part human being.
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In 2015, though, Mitchell suffered a brain aneurysm rupture, which put her career on hold as she recovered and endured physical therapy. As a result, she has mostly stayed out of the public eye until more recently, thanks to her burgeoning friendship with Americana artist Brandi Carlile.
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While performances from Mitchell have been limited in recent years, we wanted to shine a light on some of her historical live concerts from over the years, including one very recent show with Carlile.
1. Santa Barbara Bowl (1979)
Shot at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 1979, this hour-plus live concert shows Joni Mitchell being energetic and engaging. Throughout the set, she smiles with a knowing grin, seemingly aware that she is at the peak of her powers. About ten minutes in, Mitchell performs her signature track, “Coyote” and not long after, she performs two covers—Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” and Frankie Lymon’s “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.” Check out her performance of “Coyote” below.
2. London (1970)
By 1970, Mitchell had released her first three albums, Song to a Seagull in 1968, Clouds in 1969, and Ladies of the Canyon in 1970. Here, she celebrates those and her blossoming career in a concert from a grand piano live at the BBC in 1970. The songs that Mitchell performs in this set include “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Both Sides, Now,” among nearly a dozen more. Check out the lilting, stirring, and blissful offering from Mitchell and the BBC below.
3. The Gorge (2023)
In June of this year, Mitchell played Washington State’s famed and picturesque venue, The Gorge Amphitheater—invited there by Carlile. After her stroke in 2015, Mitchell began hosting Joni Jams to help her recover. When Carlile was invited to them, she knew there was the potential for so much more, including using them as a tool to aid in Mitchell’s recovery. Carlile writes about this in her recent memoir, Broken Horses. Below you can see those Joni Jams become public at The Gorge. She also tells stories in the set, including forgetting the lines to some Dylan songs.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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