Joni Mitchell Essay

Joni Mitchell is known to be one of Canada’s most eclectic and influential songwriters. Beginning her professional musical career during the folk revival in Yorkville 1960s, it was from there that the talented young songwriter began her exploration in popular, “art-folk” music. Mitchell had always had wanderlust, leading her to travel around the America, which as we can see through her music, simply helped her sound bloom. Her travels and experiences are not only acknowledged through her lyrics, but are recognized in the evolution of her musical style. She began exploring R&B, rock n’ roll, and even jazz, which created her sound to change throughout the years. Within her career, she was introduced to many musical icons, such as David Crosby and Charles Mingus, whose influences helped further her own music . It was encounters like these, as well has her travels that attributed to her musical development. Joni Mitchell, through her music, became North America’s first contemporary artist that did not settle into one specific genre, but explored many in her music, and how that led her to become one of the most influential female artists of the 20th century.

Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson in Alberta, Canada on November 7th, 1943. She had moved many times when she was small, between towns such as North Battleford, Maidstone . During this time, she began to develop a passion for the arts as well as athletics. Mitchell was immersed in painting and music in elementary school, and began to take piano lessons. Her musical influence began to develop further with these lessons, however, she showed more interest in composing her own melodies than her required pieces. Unfortunately, when Joni was only eight years old, she was diag...

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... gained the most rewarding thing that would define her career; inspiration. As she started out playing small club in Toronto, she played what she was familiar with, which were classic folk pieces. Yet from there, Mitchell began to branch out, moving from Detroit to New York, and even to California, meeting different artists along the way. Her success allowed her to bring her music to interesting places, which created her musical genre to shift constantly. From folk to pop, to rock and even experimental jazz, Mitchell defied the restrictions of genre in art, and allowing herself to be as creative and artistic as her talents would allow her. Because of these factors, Joni Mitchell is universally known to be a classic Canadian musical icon. She represented herself as a true artist, and was able to defy all genre constrictions by exploring all aspects of art and music.