Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell, born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada, is one of the most influential singer-songwriters in music history who developed distinctive guitar tunings and poetic lyrics after studying art on the Canadian prairies. Her breakthrough came with "Both Sides, Now" (1968), followed by acclaimed albums like "Ladies of the Canyon" (1970) and "Blue" (1971), with the latter consistently ranked among the greatest albums of all time for its intimate exploration of love, loss, and vulnerability. Throughout the 1970s, she evolved from folk to jazz fusion on "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" (1975) and "Hejira" (1976), collaborating with Jaco Pastorius and Wayne Shorter while establishing new standards for singer-songwriters with sophisticated harmonies. Mitchell won 10 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, with her influence extending to artists like Prince, Taylor Swift, and Annie Lennox who credit her innovations as foundational. After battling brain aneurysm in 2015, Mitchell has made rare public appearances while her legacy as a visual artist and musical innovator continues to be celebrated.