Favorite Canadian Musicians: Joni Mitchell (#9)

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Time to pay for that three-day weekend that a lot of people had, given that a number of offices were closed on Friday. No, I don’t work any longer, but I sympathize because I remember how hard it was to pull myself out of bed after a three-day weekend. I hope a little good music will ease the pain of Monday (even without a three-day weekend to recover from, it’s still Monday ), so here’s the next person on my list of favorite Canadian musicians. #9: Joni Mitchell She came from the folk scene, but Joni Mitchell’s influence is felt in a number of genres. For instance, in the “street” countdown I used her song “In France They Kiss on Main Street,” which featured a number of jazz musicians backing her. Then there’s “Both Sides, Now.” That song has been covered by everybody from Judy Collins (who had the first hit with it) to Willie Nelson (who named an album after the song) to Frank Sinatra to Dolly Parton to Belinda Carlisle. Mitchell left home for the glamor of Toronto’s folk scene, only to find herself broke and pregnant. The folk clubs had a “rule” that forbade people from doing covers that other artists were known for, so Mitchell responded by writing her own songs. Eight Grammy awards, a lifetime achievement award, and induction into both the Canadian Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame later, that may have been the best thing that happened to music! If you didn’t know, Mitchell did the artwork for the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young album So Far, as well as composed one of their best-known songs, “Woodstock.” She also painted the artwork featured on several of her own albums. Mitchell suffered a debilitating brain aneurysm in 2015, and has been receiving physical therapy to help her learn to walk and do other day-to-day activities. She is a national treasure for Canada, and they are to be commended for sharing her with the world. Joni Mitchell Born Roberta Joan Anderson November 7, 1943 Fort Macleod, Alberta Joni’s song “Free Man in Paris,” which she wrote about record company executive David Geffen: