Urge for Going in 1966 in Canada ~ An Arrival at the Revival

In 1965 Dylan had already plugged in and dropped out and the great folk boom of the 1960s was on the wane when Joni Mitchell moved to NYC and later played at the Newport Folk Festival. To learn more check out a great fan site @ www.jonimitchell.com.

And no, I didn't know Joni was going to be a Starbucks featured artist when I planned this feature. *sigh* Simply, Joni has one of my favorite folk acoustic sounds and embodies the morph of folk into the next phase. And then there is the "visual artist" connection.


Before she was Joni Mitchell she was Joni Anderson of Saskatoon, the fair young maid of Canadian folk music singing on the Oscar Brandt hootenany show, Let's Sing Out. "Born to Take the Highway" is unreleased elsewhere, as far as I know. Glimpses of the late Dave Van Ronk, Tom and Harry Chapin and the now octogenarian Oscar Brandt are found here. Oscar still hosts a radio show every week out of New York .

Joni Mitchell, singer songwriter

from
http://jonimitchell.com/

1968-1970 Emerging Popular Artist

Photo by Mark Roth

I came to the city
And lived like old Crusoe
On an island of noise
In a cobblestone sea
And the beaches were concrete
And the stars paid a light bill
And the blossoms hung false
On their store window trees...

Joni Mitchell moved to New York City in 1967, and took up residence in the arty Chelsea district. She met Elliot Roberts in the fall and he began to manage her career, helping to open up the circuit for her in New York City.

While performing at a club in Florida, Joni met ex-Byrds member David Crosby, who was quite taken with her. David was a great help in convincing the record company to agree to let Joni record a solo acoustic album without all the folk-rock overdubs that were in vogue at the time.

His clout earned him a producer's credit in March 1968, when Reprise records released her debut album. She continued her steady touring to promote the LP, and that stimulus, in addition to the performers who were covering her songs and exposing her to bigger and bigger audiences as a major "songwriter," was causing a major buzz. At Elliot's suggestion, she moved to southern California late in 1967, and moved in with David, who became an enthusiastic promoter of Joni's and had her play at the homes of his Hollywood friends, where she got noticed by press and radio people, who in turn wrote and spoke of her talent.

Joni with David Crosby and Eric Clapton

She played the Troubadour in L.A., getting raves from the crowds and critics; she was also a big hit in London at the Royal Festival Hall in September, and at the Miami Pop Festival on the last weekend of 1968. Accompaning her at the fest was Hollies singer-songwriter Graham Nash, whom Joni had met through their mutual friend, David Crosby.

Also in December of '68, Judy Collins version of "Both Sides Now" peaked in the national music charts top ten, and brought Joni "lots of those little royalty pennies." This songwriting success helped create an eager anticipation for Joni's second LP, "Clouds", which was released in April '69. It contained Joni's own versions of songs already recorded and being performed by other artists; "Chelsea Morning,""Both Sides Now", and "Tin Angel."

Joni's concert at Carnegie Hall in February, and a later show in Berkeley, CA were recorded for a live album, but the project was shelved in favor of a third LP of original studio performances.

Promotional Headshot from Elliot Roberts' Ashley Famous Agency, Inc.

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all...

She moved to Laurel Canyon, L.A. with Graham, purchasing a small house where they lived with "two cats in the yard..."