(New York) Unexpected return to the stage for Joni Mitchell. For the first time in 20 years, the Canadian singer performed a sold-out concert Sunday at the folk festival in Newport, Rhode Island.
Posted at 3:48 p.m.
Updated at 9:17 p.m.
Accompanied by Brandi Carlile, Wynonna Judd, Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons) and other musicians, Mitchell, 78, performed a dozen tracks from her catalog, including Carey, Both Sides Now, A Case of You, The Circle Game and Big Yellow Taxiin addition to resuming the jazz classic, Summer time. Since her stroke in 2015, the singer-songwriter had made herself extraordinarily rare in the public square. His return to the spotlight was gradual. She appeared on stage in 2018 for her 75e birthday, but was content to listen to the others sing her songs. Then released a video in June 2021 for the 50e anniversary of the cult album Blue.
She also made headlines last January when she pulled her catalog from streaming platform Spotify in support of her friend Neil Young, who accused the company of exploiting artists.
This event concert in Newport is a homecoming for Joni Mitchell, who performed there in 1969, with Arlo Guthrie and the Everly Brothers.