Career Joni Mitchell

1 career

1.1 1964–1969: folk breakthrough

1.1.1 ontario
1.1.2 michigan
1.1.3 new york
1.1.4 california


1.2 1970–1974: mainstream success
1.3 1975–1980: jazz explorations
1.4 1981–1993: pop, electronics , protest
1.5 1994–2001: resurgence , vocal development
1.6 2002–2005: retirement , retrospectives
1.7 2006–2015: late recordings

career
1964–1969: folk breakthrough
ontario

lacking $200 needed musicians union fees, mitchell managed few gigs @ half beat , village corner in toronto s yorkville neighbourhood, played non-union gigs in church basements , ymca meeting halls . rejected major folk clubs, resorted busking, while worked in women s wear section of downtown department store pay rent. during era, lived in rooming house, directly across hall poet duke redbird. without lot of name recognition, mitchell began realize each city s folk scene tended accord veteran performers exclusive right play signature songs—despite not having written songs—which mitchell found insular, contrary egalitarian ideal of folk music. found best traditional material other singers property , no longer pass muster. said, d come town , d told, can t sing that, can t sing that. resolved write own songs.

in late 1964, mitchell discovered pregnant calgary ex-boyfriend brad macmath. later wrote, [he] left me 3 months pregnant in attic room no money , winter coming on , fireplace heat. spindles of banister gap-toothed fuel last winter s occupants. @ time, pill legally unavailable in canada, abortion, yet there strong social stigma against women giving birth out of wedlock. in toronto, @ least quietly, without alarming relatives home. in february 1965 gave birth baby girl. unable provide baby, placed daughter, kelly dale anderson, adoption. experience remained private of career, made allusions in several songs, example little green , performed in 1960s , recorded 1971 album blue.

in chinese cafe , 1982 album wild things run fast, mitchell sang, kids coming straight / child s stranger / bore / not raise her. these lyrics did not receive wide attention @ time. existence of mitchell s daughter not publicly known until 1993, when roommate mitchell s art-school days in 1960s sold story of adoption tabloid magazine. time, mitchell s daughter, renamed kilauren gibb, had begun search biological parents. mitchell , daughter met in 1997. after reunion, mitchell said lost interest in songwriting, , later identified daughter s birth , inability take care of moment when songwriting inspiration had begun. when not express herself person wanted talk to, became attuned whole world , began write personally.

a few weeks after birth of daughter in 1965, joni anderson gigging again around yorkville, beginning sing more of original material first time, written unique open tunings. in march , april found work @ penny farthing, folk club in toronto. there met chuck mitchell, american folk-singer michigan. chuck attracted , impressed performance, , told steady work in coffeehouses knew in united states. in 1 interview, mitchell claimed married chuck 36 hours after met, unclear if ever married in toronto. sometime in late april, mitchell left canada first time, going chuck us, 2 began playing music together. joni, 21 years old, married chuck in official ceremony in hometown in june 1965 , took surname. said, made dress , bridesmaids dresses. had no money... walked down aisle brandishing daisies.

michigan

while living @ verona apartments in detroit s cass corridor, chuck , joni regular performers @ area coffee houses, including alcove bar, near wayne state university; rathskeller, restaurant on campus of university of detroit; , raven gallery in southfield. began playing , composing songs in alternative guitar tunings taught fellow musician, eric andersen, in detroit. oscar brand featured several times on cbc television program let s sing out in 1965 , 1966, broadening exposure. marriage , partnership of joni , chuck mitchell dissolved in 1967, , joni moved new york city pursue musical dreams solo artist. played venues , down east coast, including philadelphia, boston, , fort bragg, north carolina. performed in coffeehouses , folk clubs and, time creating own material, became known unique songwriting , innovative guitar style.

new york

folk singer tom rush had met mitchell in toronto , impressed songwriting ability. took urge going popular folk artist judy collins, not interested in song @ time, rush recorded himself. country singer george hamilton iv heard rush performing , recorded hit country version. other artists recorded mitchell s songs in years buffy sainte-marie ( circle game ), dave van ronk ( both sides ), , judy collins ( both sides , top ten hit, , michael mountains , both included on 1967 album wildflowers). collins covered chelsea morning , recording again eclipsed mitchell s own commercial success on.

california

while playing 1 night in gaslight south, club in coconut grove, florida, david crosby walked in , struck ability , appeal artist. took los angeles, set introducing , music friends. being managed elliot roberts, had close business association david geffen. roberts , geffen have important influences on career. crosby convinced record company let mitchell record solo acoustic album without folk-rock overdubs in vogue @ time, , clout earned him producer s credit in march 1968, when reprise records released debut album, alternatively known joni mitchell or song seagull.

mitchell continued touring steadily promote lp. tour helped create eager anticipation mitchell s second lp, clouds, released in april 1969. album contained mitchell s own versions of of songs recorded , performed other artists: chelsea morning , both sides, , , tin angel . covers of both lps, including self-portrait on clouds, designed , painted mitchell, marriage of painting , music continued throughout career.

1970–1974: mainstream success

mitchell performing in concert @ universal amphitheatre in august 1974

in march 1970, clouds produced first grammy award best folk performance. following month, reprise released third album, ladies of canyon. mitchell s sound beginning expand beyond confines of acoustic folk music , toward pop , rock, more overdubs, percussion, , backing vocals, , first time, many songs composed on piano, became hallmark of mitchell s style in popular era. own version of woodstock , slower cover crosby, stills, nash & young, performed solo on wurlitzer electric piano. album included already-familiar song circle game , environmental anthem big yellow taxi , now-famous line, paved paradise , put parking lot.

ladies of canyon instant smash on fm radio , sold briskly, becoming mitchell s first gold album (selling on half million copies). made decision stop touring year , write , paint, yet still voted top female performer 1970 melody maker, leading uk pop music magazine. on april 1971 release of james taylor s mud slide slim , blue horizon album, mitchell credited backup vocals – along carole king – on track ve got friend . songs wrote during months took off travel , life experience appeared on next album, blue, released in june 1971. comparing joni mitchell s talent own, david crosby said, time did blue, past me , rushing toward horizon .

blue instant critical , commercial success, peaking in top 20 in billboard album charts in september , hitting british top 3. lushly produced carey single @ time, musically, other parts of blue departed further sounds of ladies of canyon. simpler, rhythmic acoustic parts allowed focus on mitchell s voice , emotions ( want , case of ), while others such blue , river , last time saw richard sung rolling piano accompaniment. confessional album, mitchell later said of blue, have, on occasion, sacrificed myself , own emotional makeup, ... singing m selfish , m sad , instance. suffer our loneliness, @ time of blue, our pop stars never admitted these things. in lyrics, album regarded inspired culmination of work, depressed assessments of world around serving counterpoint exuberant expressions of romantic love (for example, in california ). mitchell later remarked, @ period of life, had no personal defenses. felt cellophane wrapper on pack of cigarettes. felt had absolutely no secrets world , couldn t pretend in life strong.

mitchell decided return live stage after great success of blue, , presented new songs on tour appeared on next album, fifth, roses. album released in october 1972 , zoomed charts. followed single, turn me on, m radio , peaked @ no. 25 in billboard charts in february 1973, becoming first bona fide hit single.

court , spark, released in january 1974, saw mitchell begin flirtation jazz , jazz fusion marked experimental period ahead. court , spark went no. 1 on cashbox album charts. lp made mitchell popular act perhaps time in career, on strength of popular tracks such rocker raised on robbery , released right before christmas 1973, , me , released in march of following year, , became mitchell s top 10 single when peaked @ no. 7 in first week of june. free man in paris hit single , staple in catalog.

while recording court , spark, mitchell had tried make clean break earlier folk sound, producing album herself , employing jazz/pop fusion band l.a. express called first real backing group. in february 1974, tour l.a. express began, , received rave notices traveled across united states , canada during next 2 months. series of shows @ l.a. s universal amphitheater on august 14–17 recorded live album. in november, mitchell released album, miles of aisles, two-record set including 2 songs l.a. concerts (one selection each berkeley community theatre, on march 2, , l.a. music center, on march 4, included in set). live album moved no. 2, matching court , spark s chart peak on billboard. big yellow taxi , live version, released single , did reasonably (she released version of song in 2007).

in january 1975, court , spark received 4 nominations grammy awards, including grammy award album of year, mitchell woman nominated. won grammy award best arrangement, instrumental , vocals.

1975–1980: jazz explorations

mitchell in 1975

mitchell went studio in 1975 record acoustic demos of songs had written since court , spark tour. few months later recorded versions of tunes band. musical interests diverging both folk , pop scene of era, toward less structured, more jazz-inspired pieces, wider range of instruments. new song cycle released in november 1975 hissing of summer lawns. on jungle line , made effort @ sampling recording of african musicians, became more commonplace among western rock acts in 1980s. in france kiss on main street continued lush pop sounds of court , spark, , efforts such title song , edith , kingpin chronicled underbelly of suburban lives in southern california.

during 1975, mitchell participated in several concerts in rolling thunder revue tours featuring bob dylan , joan baez, , in 1976 performed part of last waltz band. in january 1976, mitchell received nomination grammy award best female pop vocal performance album hissing of summer lawns, though grammy went linda ronstadt.

in 1976, mitchell traveled friends driving cross country maine. afterwards, drove california alone , composed several songs during journey featured on next album, 1976 s hejira. stated album written while traveling in car. s why there no piano songs ... hejira arguably mitchell s experimental album far, due ongoing collaborations jazz virtuoso bass guitarist jaco pastorius on several songs, namely first single, coyote , atmospheric hejira , disorienting, guitar-heavy black crow , , album s last song refuge of roads . album climbed no. 13 on billboard charts, reaching gold status 3 weeks after release, , received airplay album oriented fm rock stations. yet coyote , backed blue motel room , failed chart on hot 100. hejira did not sell briskly mitchell s earlier, more radio friendly albums, [but] stature in catalogue has grown on years . mitchell herself believes album unique. in 2006 said, suppose lot of people have written lot of other songs, feel songs on hejira have come me.

in mid-1977, mitchell began work on new recordings became first double studio album. close completing contract asylum records, mitchell felt album looser in feel album d done in past. invited pastorius back, , brought him fellow members of jazz fusion pioneers weather report, including drummer don alias , saxophonist wayne shorter. layered, atmospheric compositions such overture/cotton avenue featured more improvisatory collaboration, while paprika plains 16-minute epic stretched boundaries of pop, owing more mitchell s memories of childhood in canada , study of classical music. dreamland , tenth world , featuring chaka khan on backing vocals, percussion-dominated tracks. other songs continued jazz-rock-folk collisions of hejira. mitchell revived jericho , written years earlier (a version found on 1974 live album) never recorded in studio setting. don juan s reckless daughter released in december 1977. album received mixed reviews still sold relatively well, peaking @ no. 25 in , going gold within 3 months. cover of album created own controversy: mitchell featured in several photographs, including 1 disguised black man, wearing curly afro wig, white suit , vest, , dark sunglasses. character, whom called art nouveau, based on pimp who, says, once complimented while walking down la street – , symbol of turn toward jazz , streetwise lyrics.

a few months after release of don juan s reckless daughter, mitchell contacted esteemed jazz composer, bandleader , bassist charles mingus, had heard orchestrated song paprika plains , , wanted work him. began collaboration mingus, died before project completed in 1979. finished tracks, , resulting album, mingus, released in june 1979, though poorly received in press. fans confused on such major change in mitchell s overall sound, , though album topped out @ no. 17 on billboard album charts—a higher placement don juan s reckless daughter—mingus still fell short of gold status, making first album since 1960s not sell @ least half-million copies.

mitchell s tour promote mingus began in august 1979 in oklahoma city , concluded 6 weeks later 5 shows @ los angeles greek theatre , 1 @ santa barbara county bowl, recorded , filmed concert. first tour in several years, , pastorius, jazz guitarist pat metheny, , other members of band, mitchell performed songs other jazz-inspired albums. when tour ended began year of work, turning tapes santa barbara county bowl show two-album set , concert film, both called shadows , light. final release on asylum records , second live double-album, released in september 1980, , made no. 38 on billboard charts. single lp, why fools fall in love? , mitchell s duet persuasions (her opening act tour), bubbled under on billboard, missing hot 100.

1981–1993: pop, electronics , protest

for year , half, mitchell worked on tracks next album. during period recorded bassist larry klein, whom married in 1982. while album being readied release, friend david geffen, founder of asylum records, decided start new label, geffen records. still distributed warner bros. (who controlled asylum records), geffen negated remaining contractual obligations mitchell had asylum , signed new label. wild things run fast (1982) marked return pop songwriting, including chinese cafe/unchained melody , incorporated chorus , parts of melody of famous righteous brothers hit, , (you re square) baby don t care , remake of elvis chestnut, charted higher mitchell single since 1970s sales peak when climbed no. 47 on charts. album peaked on billboard charts in fifth week @ no. 25.

mitchell performing in 1983

in 1983, mitchell began world tour, visiting japan, australia, ireland, united kingdom, belgium, france, germany, italy , scandinavia , going united states. performance tour videotaped , later released on home video (and later dvd) refuge of roads. 1984 ended, mitchell writing new songs, when received suggestion geffen perhaps outside producer experience in modern technical arenas wanted explore might worthy addition. british synthpop performer , producer thomas dolby brought on board. of dolby s role, mitchell later commented: reluctant when thomas suggested because had been asked produce record [by geffen], , consider coming in programmer , player? on level did have problems ... may able faster. may able better, fact wouldn t music.

the album resulted, dog eat dog, released in october 1985, turned out moderate seller, peaking @ no. 63 on billboard s top albums chart, mitchell s lowest chart position since first album peaked @ no. 189 eighteen years before. 1 of songs on album, tax free , created controversy lambasting televangelists , saw drift religious right in american politics. churches came after me , wrote, attacked me, though episcopalian church, ve seen described church in america uses head, wrote me letter of congratulation.

mitchell continued experimenting synthesizers, drum machines , sequencers recordings of next album, 1988 s chalk mark in rain storm. collaborated artists including willie nelson, billy idol, wendy & lisa, tom petty, don henley, peter gabriel, , benjamin orr of cars. album s first official single, secret place , in fact duet gabriel, , missed billboard hot 100 charts. song lakota 1 of many songs on album take on larger political themes, in case wounded knee incident, deadly battle between native american activists , fbi on pine ridge indian reservation in previous decade. musically, several songs fit trend of world music popularized gabriel during era. reviews favorable towards album, , cameos well-known musicians brought considerable attention. chalk mark improved on chart performance of dog eat dog, peaking @ no. 45.

in 1990, mitchell, performed live anymore, participated in roger waters wall concert in berlin. performed song goodbye blue sky , 1 of performers on concert s final song tide turning along waters, cyndi lauper, bryan adams, van morrison , paul carrack.

throughout first half of 1990, mitchell recorded songs appeared on next album. delivered final mixes new album geffen before christmas, after trying hundred different sequences songs. album night ride home released in march 1991. in united states, premiered on billboard s top album charts @ no. 68, moving no. 48 in second week, , peaking @ no. 41 in sixth week. in united kingdom, album premiered @ no. 25 on album charts. critically, better received 1980s work , seemed signal move closer acoustic beginnings, along references style of hejira. album mitchell s first since geffen records sold mca inc., meaning night ride home first album not distributed wea (now warner music group).

1994–2001: resurgence , vocal development

mitchell pets president clinton s dog buddy in oval office in 1998

to wider audiences, real return form mitchell came 1994 s grammy-winning turbulent indigo. while recording period saw divorce of mitchell , bassist larry klein, marriage having lasted 12 years, indigo seen mitchell s accessible set of songs in years. songs such sex kills , sunny sunday , borderline , magdalene laundries mixed social commentary , guitar-focused melodies startling comeback . album won 2 grammy awards, including best pop album, , coincided much-publicized resurgence in interest in mitchell s work younger generation of singer-songwriters.

in 1996, mitchell agreed release greatest hits collection when label reprise allowed second misses album include of lesser known songs career. hits charted @ no. 161 in us, made no. 6 in uk. mitchell included on hits, first time on album, first recording, version of urge going preceded song seagull released b-side.

joni mitchell , peter bogner listening premix of herbie hancock s gershwin s world (venice beach, california in 1999)

two years later, mitchell released final set of original new work before decade of other pursuits, 1998 s taming tiger. promoted tiger return regular concert appearances, including co-headlining tour bob dylan , van morrison.

on album, mitchell had played custom guitar equipped roland hexaphonic pickup connected roland vg-8 modeling processor. device allowed mitchell play of many alternate tunings without having re-tune guitar. guitar s output, through vg-8, transposed of tunings in real-time. improved live performance mitchell didn t need switch guitars between songs.

it around time critics began notice real change in mitchell s voice, particularly on older songs; singer later admitted feeling same way, explaining d go hit note , there nothing there . while more limited range , huskier vocals have been attributed smoking (she has been described 1 of world s last great smokers ), mitchell believes changes in voice became noticeable in 1990s due other problems, including vocal nodules, compressed larynx, , lingering effects of having had polio. in interview in 2004, denied terrible habits had more limited range , pointed out singers lose upper register when pass fifty. in addition, contended in opinion voice became more interesting , expressive alto range when no longer hit high notes, let alone hold them did in youth.

the singer s next 2 albums featured no new songs and, mitchell has said, recorded fulfill contractual obligations , on both attempted make use of new vocal range in interpreting familiar material. both sides (2000) album composed of covers of jazz standards, performed orchestra, featuring orchestral arrangements vince mendoza. album contained remakes of case of , title track both sides , 2 hits transposed down mitchell s dusky, soulful alto range. received strong reviews , spawned short national tour, mitchell accompanied core band featuring larry klein on bass plus local orchestra on each tour stop. success led 2002 s travelogue, collection of re-workings of previous songs lush orchestral accompaniments.

2002–2005: retirement , retrospectives

mitchell stated @ time travelogue final album. in 2002 interview rolling stone, voiced discontent current state of music industry, describing cesspool . mitchell expressed dislike of record industry s dominance , desire control own destiny, possibly releasing own music on internet.

during next few years, albums mitchell released compilations of earlier work. in 2003, geffen recordings collected in remastered four-disc box set, complete geffen recordings, including notes mitchell , 3 unreleased tracks. series of themed compilations of songs earlier albums released: beginning of survival (2004), dreamland (2004), , songs of prairie girl (2005), last of collected threads of canadian upbringing , released after accepting invitation saskatchewan centennial concert in saskatoon. concert, featured tribute mitchell, attended queen elizabeth ii. in prairie girl liner notes, writes collection contribution saskatchewan s centennial celebrations .

in 1990s, mitchell signed deal random house publish autobiography. in 1998 told new york times memoirs in works , published in many 4 volumes, , first line black man @ party. in 2005, mitchell said using tape recorder memories down in oral tradition .

although mitchell stated no longer tour or give concerts, has made occasional public appearances speak on environmental issues. mitchell divides time between longtime home in los angeles, , 80-acre (32 ha) property in sechelt, british columbia, has owned since 1970s. l.a. workplace , said in 2006, b.c. heartbeat . according interviews, today focuses on visual art, not sell , displays on rare occasions.

2006–2015: late recordings

in interview ottawa citizen in october 2006, mitchell revealed recording first collection of new songs in decade , gave few other details. 4 months later, in interview new york times, mitchell said forthcoming album, titled shine, inspired war in iraq , grandson had said while listening family fighting: bad dreams good—in great plan. media reports characterized album having minimal feel ... harks [mitchell s] work , focus on political , environmental issues.

in february 2007, mitchell returned calgary , served advisor alberta ballet company premiere of fiddle , drum , dance choreographed jean grand-maître both new , old songs. worked french-canadian tv director mario rouleau, known work in art , dance television, such cirque du soleil. filmed portions of rehearsals documentary working on. of flurry of recent activity quipped, ve never worked hard in life.

in mid-2007, mitchell s official fan-run site confirmed speculation had signed two-record deal starbucks hear music label. shine released label on september 25, 2007, debuting @ number 14 on billboard 200 album chart, highest chart position in united states since release of hejira in 1976, on thirty years previously, , @ number 36 on united kingdom albums chart.

on same day, herbie hancock, longtime associate , friend of mitchell s, released river: joni letters, album paying tribute mitchell s work. among album s contributors norah jones, tina turner, leonard cohen, , mitchell herself, contributed vocal re-recording of tea leaf prophecy (lay down arms) (originally on album chalk mark in rain storm). on february 10, 2008, hancock s recording won album of year @ grammy awards. first time in 43 years jazz artist took top prize @ annual award ceremony. in accepting award, hancock paid tribute mitchell miles davis , john coltrane. @ same ceremony mitchell won grammy best instrumental pop performance opening track, 1 week last summer , album shine.

in 2010 interview los angeles times, mitchell quoted saying singer-songwriter bob dylan, whom had worked closely in past, fake , plagiarist. controversial remark reported other media. mitchell did not explain contention further, several media outlets speculated may have related allegations of plagiarism surrounding lyrics on dylan s 2006 album modern times. in 2013 interview jian ghomeshi, asked comments , responded denying had made statement while mentioning allegations of plagiarism arose on lyrics dylan s 2001 album love , theft in general context of flow , ebb of creative process of artists.