What Joni Mitchell Gave To Me

I don't remember when I started listening to Joni Mitchell. I don't remember how old I was, where I was in my life musically or personally, and I don't remember who told me to listen to Joni Mitchell. But I remember how I felt. I remember listening to "A Case of You" from the album "Blue" (1976) and remember feeling overwhelmed and at a loss for words. Until that time, I had never heard lyrics that painted such a vivid picture or expressed such a bare emotion as Joni's.

In the multi-decade career of Joni Mitchell she has gone through many transformations as an artist. I don't love every era or every artistic choice she's made (there are few musicians who I could say I do). However, there is an honesty in Mitchell's lyrics that is raw and deeply personal as well as a poetic lilt that has inspired my own writing enormously, always.

Joni Mitchell writes folk music, yet she appeals to musicians of all genres for her surprising turns in chord progressions and intricate melodies.

To conclude, Joni Mitchell gave me inspiration, gave me humility and most of all, gave me a love for the human voice and written word in a way perhaps no other singer has.


Check out some personal favourites of Joni Mitchell.