Last summer at the Newport Folk Festival, fans of the singer Brandi Carlile were treated to a shocking surprise: a guest appearance by Joni Mitchell, who had been barely seen in public since recovering from an aneurysm in 2015.
The joyful performance went old-school viral — a cross-generational feel-good sensation.
This month came the second wave of the comeback: a nearly three-hour Joni Jam at Carlile’s Echoes Through the Canyon festival in Washington, that featured Mitchell singing and playing electric guitar accompanied by acolytes: Annie Lennox, Allison Russell, Wendy and Lisa, Sarah McLachlan, and others.
On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about how Mitchell was received during her career peak, the recent steps she’s taken toward public performance and how she is remaking her own music in her later years.
Persons:
Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell, Joni Jam, Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Allison Russell, Wendy, Lisa, Sarah McLachlan
Organizations:
Newport Folk Festival
Locations:
Washington