Joni Mitchell Celebrates 50 Years of “Blue”

Fri Jun 25, 2021
Joni Mitchell

Blue was the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on June 22, 1971, on the Reprise label.Written and produced entirely by Mitchell, it was recorded in 1971 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California.

Created just after her breakup with Graham Nash, and during an intense relationship with James Taylor, Blue touched on so many sides of relationships from infatuation on “A Case of You” to total insecurity on “This Flight Tonight”. The songs feature simple accompaniments on piano, guitar and Appalachian dulcimer, and had a sound like no other.

Today, Blue is generally regarded by music critiques and fans as as one of the greatest albums of all time; the way Mitchell's songwriting, compositions and voice all work together are frequent areas of praise.

In July 2017, Blue was chosen by NPR as the greatest album of all time made by a woman.

In January 2000, The New York Times chose Blue as one of the 25 albums that represented "turning points and pinnacles in 20th-century popular music".

Joni Mitchell’s 75th Birthday Celebration CD

Fri Mar 15 2019
Joni Mitchell’s 75th Birthday Celebration CD

Last November, some of Joni Mitchell’s musical friends and 3,000 fans gathered to celebrate and the special night was recorded by Verve/Decca Records. Her friends and fans gathered to pay tribute to the legendary singer, performing a special concert on Mitchell’s birthday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles. The star-studded line-up included James Taylor, Norah Jones, Chaka Khan and Rufus Wainwright and a host others.

The release of The Music Center Presents Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration was 8 March 2019 and also featured performances by Brandi Carlile, Glen Hansard, Emmylou Harris, Diana Krall, Kris Kristofferson, Los Lobos with La Marisoul, Cesar Castro &Xochi Flores, Graham Nash, Seal and more.

Each performer brought their own interpretation to Mitchell’s iconic catalogue. Brandi Carlile teamed up with Kris Kristofferson for a duet version of ‘A Case of You’, while Diana Krall covered the jazz-leaning ‘Amelia’. Mitchell’s hits were also represented, with Seal taking on ‘Both Sides Now’, and Rufus Wainwright doing a beautiful rendition of ‘Blue’.