Joni Mitchell, who hadn’t performed live since 2013 until earlier this year, made a surprise appearance today at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival. She joined Brandi Carlile, who herself has covered Mitchell’s Blue in full and has regularly spoken of her love for Mitchell. The duo sang Mitchell’s classics “A Case of You” and “Both Sides Now.” Mitchell also played the guitar solo from “Just Like This Train.” Mitchell last appeared at the festival in 1968. Watch it happen below.
Mitchell was honored as MusiCares’ Person of the Year during this year’s Grammy weekend, where she also gave a brief performance alongside the musicians honoring her. She accepted a Grammy for Best Historical Album and appeared during the televised program, as well. They were rare public appearances following a brain aneurism in 2015. Earlier this year, she joined Neil Young in removing her music from Spotify.
Revisit Pitchfork’s feature “Joni Mitchell: Her Art and Life in 33 Songs.”
Correction: A previous version of this story noted that it was Mitchell’s first live performance in nearly a decade. She sang earlier this year at the MusiCares event in her honor.