The Joni Mitchell Interview 

Maybe the greatest living lyricist, and she is blunt and honest.

She is a genius. Her music, her voice. I don't know anyone like her. One of a kind in this world.

This woman gave me my voice...I was born in 1960 and watched my brothers, all older than me in '69 take off for the Woodstock festival only a couple of hours from our home in Brooklyn, NY. I was 9 then and very shy. Just before the festival one of my bothers who was a musician heard me in my room singing along with my Joni Mitchell album.. I had all of them....and taught myself the guitar chords to each of her songs so I could sing to myself when I was blue. One day my brother told me..."You sound just like her...you should be very proud". In later years, when I became a mother, I sang to my first baby, a preemie born at my 24th wk of pregnancy, while she was in the n.i.c.u for 4 months to comfort her in her struggle to live. After she'd passed away, 7 1/2 months later, Joni Mitchell's voice comforted me as I would sit alone in my grief. When my other children were bourn to me, again I was blessed and would softly sing Joni's tunes as I'd cradled each one in the carrier every day, over my heart, on our journey to the market, nursing them or just doing my chores around the apartment, lulling them to a peaceful sleep. I, myself was adopted as a child, so parenting is nothing I take lightly. I never knew my birth mother, but I thank heaven I was finally taken in to a permanent family. To this day, when I feel grief and the blues coming on, I sing to myself while going about my day. My heart broke when I had heard Joni was rushed to the hospital. I cried and prayed...There is no one, absolutely no one who compares to this lovely Angel on Earth. She is radiant!

As Joni said at the end " we are all alone " I was a creative introverted loner and her music spoke to me and I felt less alone. Her music was comforting and felt and sounded familiar. That was the gift. I drew, painted and wrote but was discouraged from it and became a nurse. I understand so much of what Joni is saying. In my core. I am grateful to her for choosing to share herself/music/paintings with us.

Joni was on a roll when she was sharing her thoughts on songwriting. I was so into it. She made so much sense. I was learning and then...he interrupted and changed the subject back to painting. Pity.

"Honor died with WWII." I wish he would have continued with that line of questioning. That was a golden opportunity she gave him.

"The trick is: if you listen to that music and you see me, you're not getting anything out of it, but if you listen to that music and you see yourself, it will probably make you cry and you'll learn something about yourself, and now you're getting something out of it. And those are the people, you know, that my communication is complete. Most of them they know I'm famous, they know I'm this, but there's no real communication. It's just a phenomenon there. And people flick their Bic at anything."

As a journalist, he's doing a fine job of trying to fit her into a category which she by her genius simply defies. And she remains patient and humble throughout it all.

18:30 "Fame is a series of misunderstandings surrounding a name." Ever the poet.

She is humble and great. She is brilliant, clear sighted, critical and insightful. The interviewer is unfortunate. But Joni shines!

Joni, I met you in a funky little natural foods store in the spring of 1976 in Boulder CO. I found out later that you were on a journey through America and Canada getting inspiration for Hejira. You came up to me and stood very close to me looking deep into my eyes. You looked exactly like Joni Mitchell on the cover of the Clouds album. You were flirtatious and friendly. I was tongue-tied and in awe of you. You asked me if I knew you. I was rude because I was so star struck. I told you that you were mistaken. You asked me if I was sure I didn't know you. I said: "Yes, you are mistaken." You looked at me with those heartbreakingly blue Scorpio eyes and said: "Well, that's just too bad then." And then you walked away. I thought that a beautiful blonde woman who looked exactly like Joni Mitchell being flirtatious with me in Bouder CO must be my imagination. Later on when I got home from that dream-like encounter the phone rang and a friend said: "Joni Mitchell is in town visitng Robben Ford."

So rare to see an interview with such a private genius, so nice to have an interviewer with half a brain. Brilliant song writer, wonderful voice, and a hell of a guitar player too. Each album takes a while to get used too, but this is what makes her great, she doesn't just churn out albums, like the great painters each one is an original masterpiece.

I spent this entire interview in awe of her brilliance. She's hilarious, intelligent, confident. A beautiful person with a good heart.

A beautiful, extremely intelligent, courageous woman with a big heart and loads of wisdom.

This is the best interview I have ever heard from a complete artist.

Take a good look kiddies, this is a true artist. Unfortunately they don't make models like this anymore. Thank you for sharing with us Joni ❤️ ...the world is a more beautiful place because of you

"If you listen to that music and see yourself it'll probably make you cry and you learn something about yourself and now you're getting something out of it"... wow.

I just love her even more after seeing her in this interview. What an inspirational effect she has had on me. She is a beautiful, real person. What an honor to have felt like I just spent an hour with her. THANK YOU!

Joni said in a later interview that people were saying :what a great interview!" and she said "what was so great about it? and that she wasn't at all surprised by the sexual assault and sexual violence case against him. She also said she had to smudge the house afterwards because Jian's vibe was so predatory and toxic. She is known for her "Xray vision" into people's characters. As a journalist myself I have to say it was obvious he wasn't prepared - he had a lot of notes he seemed unfamiliar with. He got things wrong which was a giveaway he hadn't done his research but assistants had researched extensively and formulated the questions for him. And then of course the most unprofessional thing you can do as a journalist, especially in a TV interview, is to interrupt constantly,, talk over the guest, which he did many times, and worse, push your own views and conclusions onto everything, just about every topic covered. So many times Joni was sharing something really interesting and he didn't let her finish and many times, because she wanted to finish what she was saying, and make herself clear, she returned to what she was trying to say, after he had moved onto the next question, always looking at his brief because he wasn't knowledgable enough about her career or music to springboard off questions and have a flowing conversation. The most horrible moment was: "oh and by the way you had a child..." and rushed over the fact she gave her baby up for adoption and moved to Vancouver and he was about to launch into the next question and she had to really push to set the record straight abut what happened. This period in Joni's life was traumatic, it would have been for any young woman. Sh said she was alone and destitute and his complete discomfort and lack of empathy was totally shocking. Such an incredible disappointment really. especially afterwards, that this disgraced media figure was the one CBC chose to interview such a significant artist. CBC did you not have more talent in your stable than this guy? The interview only has value because Joni is a phenomenal communicator and fascinating and brilliant artist.

Very happy to hear she is writing her autobiography

The interviewer doesnt understand her alot. She is so intelligent and talented.

... No words , no sounds .... just can't describe how this interview makes me think.... Think in silence ... Thanks for the Inspiration

"if they honor you wrong, it's dumb if they honor you right, it's inspiring". Even that thought is poetic.

Billion year old carbon! And we get to be here at the same time as this woman. It’s like a lottery win.

I have watched this video a number of times over the past 9 years...I just love her style and her story...and pretty much everything about the way she thinks. Then, every time I do, I get on a whole new "Joni music kick" again for a while afterwards. Her recent performance at the Newport Folk Festival (2022) just bowled me over with delight. I never thought we'd get a chance to see her rockin' out on stage again...To see her doing so...at 79 years old....after all of the challenges she's faced...and doing it with a big, authentic smile on her face....Words just can't express what a wonderful sight !

"When the women aren't singing in the kitchen, you've got a sick Nation." Dude. Dropping Truth Bombs :O

I'm a jazz composer, And I love her work!

What a gift this woman has. Not only can she sing and play guitar so wonderfully well, but she can paint just as well. A creative genius!

I love this woman so much.

Joni is of another level. Best we can do is try to keep up and maybe get to understand.....if we get lucky.

this is one of the most sublime and profound interviews I've ever been privy of observing. Thank you for Sharing. I adore her. A rare bird. She gave the greatest gift someone can give. Bless her soul. I am in awe and grateful.

You can tell Joni Mitchell is a genius. When she's speaking and thinking, she's in her own world. Her creative process is really fascinating. You can tell the interviewer is trying his best to understand what she's saying haha!

I want to hug Joni Mitchell. Just once in my life.

I love her so much. She is like no other, and I'm thankful she shared herself with us all.

I was a junior in high school when I first heard Jonis first album . Her music and singing blew my mind and as a guitar singer myself I tried to figure her open tuning She plays some very strange tuning but the music is wonderful. God gave out creative genius in buckets to Joni Mitchell. Her songwriting, singing, guitar playing, poetry and painting is magnificent. I love everything about this lady and wish her a very long life. She has brought joy to be for 50 years. Thankyou Joni Mitchell!Kimo Holland

What a remarkable human being Miss Mitchell is. I could sit at her feet for days and bask in her wholly original, stimulating thought processes. Pound for pound, she's one of the most brilliant artists of our time.

Integrity. Eloquence. Fulfilled talent? Painter. Poet. Composer. Musician. Philosophical. Honest. Brave & beautiful. Joni Mitchell - in our time. Thank you for posting this!

I love the honesty of this interview. And because Joni sees the world through a different lens to most of us, - well it is just beautiful. She is not like anyone else - she is unique. What a blessing.

I'm new to Joni Mitchell, and I really liked her affect in this interview... She seemed like someone I'd enjoy having a conversation with at a bar; super down to earth but full of interesting ideas and information. She came across as someone totally comfortable with herself. A true boss!

If I read the comments first, I wouldn't have sacrificed almost two hours with this, but I didn't and it was great. Revealing, Fascinating. I loved it.

I have shared my life and heart with Joni. Total honest creativity through and through. Thank God Joni walks among us.

She's one of my heroes. She changed my world and how I listen to music.

So nice to hear Joni's wisdom. Really talented people normally don't live long enough to teach others about their magic.

What a beautiful soul.

I remember a time when getting hold of a new Joni album was like holding a treasure that promised to deliver unknown adventures, sumptuous textures, mind-bending prose, exotic rhythms, harmonic complexity, human conditions, humor, and a worldliness not attainable from where I sat. Living in the 70's was exciting and full of hope in spite of bad hair and clothes styles and Joni was at the very forefront of the creativity that was still pouring out from the 60's. She mirrored and enhanced culture with such brilliance that a whole generation (or two or three) were lifted up and out of their doldrums and forever changed within the psychological and sensuous spaces she created. Thanks forever Joni.

This is quite possibly the best interviewee I have ever witnessed in my entire life. I have fallen even deeper in love with this woman, the real Joni, the off-stage one, who appears ageless, and infinite, in her depth. She is quite possibly the purest soul ever. I love her soul. She is such a brilliant person. She feels misunderstood, because there is a small amount of people who Would understand her; the select few that have a higher degree of awareness. Her soul speaks to my soul. Love2Joni.

I have always loved her music, her incredible artwork, but most of all her wonderful spirit. A genius, an original- never will there be another like her.

From her first album - Song To A Seagull - Joni Mitchell changed my musical perspective. I'm proud to own everything she has released.

When I was art college in 83 I heard a Joni Mitchell album and I thought wow, who is this song bird? I think she is a rare find in this world both early on and now...I believe she ploughs her own furrow...and when we do that creatively we become misunderstood...people want to label you, misrepresent you...we live in a tick box world...she has influenced so many people...but she's not doing it to win friends...she is a wonderful bright star and an inspiration...a strong women, in what is still a man's world...she is a trail blazer and a wonder - it strikes me that she has kept her curiosity ...and continues to flutter her wings...in this chaotic world...we have been fortunate to feel those ripples...long may it be. Thank you for you honesty...listening to this interview ...it strikes me you truly extoll the power of having a voice...song/stories/love of life...hardship....resilience...preserving the human spirit...our natural world... Like Rachel Carson, she has been a quiet ambassador...

What an incredible interview! Love her even more beyond her music, writing and painting. She truly is delightful in so many ways! Wow!

This guy jumps to another question and another topic far to quickly when Joni is talking and gives the impression that he's not really interested in her answers but cares more about his next question...Joni is amazing 🔥

The greatest honor to be able to meet her let alone sit down with her for a talk

I haven't read many comments but I hope people will remember she is a great artist and not criticise her for smoking. It is her choice. Better than shooting smack.Give her a break. I saw her with Jackson Browne in London and was great. Joni, hope you have many more years.

She's a Worldly Treasure for all to enjoy.

I love when she speaks. I do not like the interviewer. I feel he is missing some of the essence of what she is saying.

How could you possibly be "too young" to "pull off" something that you had written yourself that had come from YOUR soul and YOUR experiences? You've probably lived a thousand lifetimes. I have been told over the course of my life that I'm so much like Joni Mitchell... even by my own Mother and sister - we were all raised in a family of vocalists, musicians, writers, arrangers and painters. I assure you that I always felt complimented and very well complimented. It wasn't only my appearance, but even as I watch this interview, we have twin thought processes. I've also been told I think too much. For this I'm grateful - I know you are too, Joni. Thank you for being a part of my life.

This is the third time I've watched this interview over the past few years and I like it better each time! Joni's characterization of the Baby Boomers (of which I am one) is as concisely brilliant as is humanly possible. Her explanation is the nutshell portrait of what was, why it was that, and what it ultimately led to. It is a rare pleasure indeed to encounter such a genuine person, someone so unafraid to be who she is, and someone so driven to do the best that she can do. Although I've never met her in person I can't help but think that we are dear friends...

Don't usually need to know the artist.......just their art.Started watching and couldnt't stop.Joni M is the music.Thanks for sharing yourself.

I think he did okay as an interviewer but definitely was not up to her mental ability and didn't play off the answers she gave but kept to his original script no matter how interesting it was getting. And he kept interrupting her because he couldn't see how it related to his question... but she took this on such a different journey than he wanted it to go in and I love her for it. Thanks for this interview

I think Jian Ghomeshi did an outstanding job. Not easy interviewing a *legend.* He missed a few small things that I would have asked; "Did you have a strict upbringing?" "Did you grow up catholic- from her Irish mother's side." "Were you a wild kid as a teenager?" "Did you like to drive fast?" Things like that.

thank you Joni for giving this mother of 8 many songs to joyfully sing in her kitchen!! (if you watch to the end, you will get it ;)I LOVE Joni, have since I was a teen.

I have always been and will be a Joni Mitchell fan. Thanks for sharing this interview. It was great.

The woman is brilliant! She's a huge inspiration for me! Much Respect!

joni mitchell is a very bright spark with an incredible gift for all kinds of arts. great analytical and well thought out points of view in this conversation.gives me great insight on where this truly wonderful artist is coming from.anyway,she advanced my life.

"I don't play the professional sick person..." That is so awesome. Joni Rocks!

She truly is stardust and golden.

Certainly a classic interview of Joni Mitchell. Regardless of what people think of Jian the interviewer he got a lot out of her and let her ramble on which really produced some gems.

If anyone seemed to be someone to look up to it has been Joni Mitchell. Thank you Joni Mitchell for knowing that sensitivity in a person is precious but not recognized in Western culture and for knowing that celebrity is not a thing to be coveted. Love her not just the music.

What an amazing blessing to have been alive and "grown up" with this amazing artist.

Joni ,love you X was listening to Blue in 1973 with my friend Catherine luyster now deceased.. at school ..you have and always been an inspiration ..,

She is so wise, intelligent, humble and classy. This interview was very interesting and informative - - I can see myself watching this again and again.

This woman is very cognizant of the processes of her genius. Its like shes advising us how to bring out the genius in ourselves.

I'm glad I saw this. I had never connected with her aside from her music. I was getting a kick out of her and laughing a lot with her...cool interview...

"Dame" Mitchell, I have loved you since "Clouds" and I will love you until the end of time!

" Woman of heart and mind." The greatest artist of the 20th century. An unparalleled genius. Own all of her records. Love her forever, a true inspiration!!!

She is still young in her mind like always.Love you.cu.Chris

In 1967 I was 17, I was in a rock band, had an MBG sports car, I thought I was hot stuff then a buddy of mine said just listen to this and played me an early Joni album, I was pole-axed by her songwriting, singing and wonderful Guitar and Piano accompaniment. In that same year I also saw Jimmy Hendrix live,even though I was the local young hot stud guitar player in my area, I was just not ready to see Jimmy in his Prime, I went home and put away my guitar and said forget it. Who helped me through this major life crisis ?? Joni of course. Later in life I turned my wife on to Joni and she turned me on to Prince. Joni please get better soon, even though you are not playing or singing anymore I still think Shine is your finest album ever !!

I feel nothing but love for this artist.

i admire her way of expressing her opinions. it's very deep and i feel her..

She is real in this interview. She might be "touchy", but so what, it shows her humanity and real-ness. She is real and not politically correct. What a refreshment. She is also very challenging.

what an amazingly thoughtful woman. I knew she was intelligent by listening to her song lyrics but it was amazing to hear her talk about her legacy so open and honestly. I wish there were more interviewers like this.

I'm 41yrs old. I got into Joni twenty something years ago. The first album I bought of hers was Ladies of the Canyons.. Morning Morgan Town sold me instantly. I was taken by her right away. She blew me away just as someone like Shawn Lane etc etc did upon my first hearings. Thank you for being Joni❤

Jian Ghomeshi, job well done. An unknown, (younger) interviewer (at least, unknown in the States) facing a legend rarely stands a fair chance in the Court of Public Opinion, particularly in the RU-vid/Social Media universe. I thought he did a very good interview. He acknowledged that she doesn't do many interviews, yet she agreed to sit down with him. @ 13:00 Pointing out the irony that she critiques her recordings of the past, yet hangs her paintings throughout her home, @ about the 1-hour mark, not letting the "Singer/Actor" issue just pass by without challenging her to draw out more of that concept to the point that she broke down the origin of "art" being short for "artificial". I loved that. I will admit that I certainly limited that word to "The Arts" and never looked at that word like that before, but she was informative in the etymology of a daily word often overused and made us look at it from a new angle. Had it not been for Ghomeshi being on his game, that concept wouldn't even have been mentioned. I found him to be respectful, but not cowering down in fear, amiable without patronizing and engaging and able to keep up with her. I thought this was a great, insightful interview.

Wow. I have always loved Joni Mitchell. Haven't realized, until watching this, how brilliant she really is. Wow.

I enjoyed this very much, what a gem of a human being. But I never knew the depth of her intellect and insights as i saw here.. so sharp. Truly remarkable. Thank you for the music, Joni.

This was a pleasure to watch. Joni has many qualities that are admirable. I hope we will see more of her.

This is what I've wanted since I fell in love with Joni's music. To just sit down with her and have a nice chat. I always feared she would be so high above me intellectually (this she is) that I would feel extremely inadequate, however, she is honest, down to earth and very personable. I think she would like me. Ha Ha Ha! Sincerely, I can't thank you enough granting one of my fondest wishes!

Wonderful interview. For years and years I have admired her and knew nothing about her. A real creative person with no big ego to have to deal with. So enlightening.

Hi Ronnie, Thanks for watching. We did edit out about 15 minutes from the interview. Much of that was when the two took breaks and the content surrounding that as it was a very long interview. We did cut out a few things here and there where we felt it didn't move the interview along etc... We don't think you'll miss them (too much) but we did it to present the best possible long form interview. Thanks again for watching!

'In the rooms the women come and go, talking of Michelangelo...do I dare to eat a peach?....do I dare to disturb the universe?' - It was the poet, T.S. Eliot, Joni was trying to pin down. Joni Mitchell is sublime, 100% all there and still with so much to share, to teach. She is her own person, her own muse and she has been one of few to to disturb the universe and we are all the better for it. Thank you Jian Ghomeshi & Joni Mitchell for this gift of an interview, void of muddy waters, crystal clear and full of melodious thunder!

So glad to hear Joni Mitchell actually speak nothing cut out so she could get her point across along with straitened out so many misconceptions. This is the best interview I have ever seen. Thank you

“Birds that came to me to die!” No one else thinks like the wonderful, original Joni. Xx

i love you, joni mitchell. did her spotlight when she played my school in new york in 1969. she never moved an inch so my job was quite easy. i always wondered about that. but her performing style did loosen up as her career developed. she's great.

I have to say I don't agree with the harsh criticism some others have levelled at the interviewer - I actually thought he struck a good balance and asked intelligent and thought provoking questions. Rather than sitting there being awe struck and obsequious, he did actually hold his own and no doubt managed to draw some interesting thoughts and ideas from Joni as a result. As someone else observed, she does appear to be relaxed and enjoying the interview.

Whether you agree with her politics or not...she is one of the great observational thinker artists of the past few decades. I'm not sure how many of our social media, reality tv, smart phone generations can fully comprehend where she is coming from in a relatable way.

The woman has been suffering from chronic illness. She's worked hard producing great music for us her whole life. Grant the woman her few pleasures, she's earned it. Besides, she didn't have to talk to anyone. I'm just glad she's open to sharing her ideas.

Hate to see the passing of time.......we watch the greatest songsmith of them all.the greatest interpreter of emotion that we are ever likely to see The emotional highs the inconsolable loss we feel when life takes a downturn........this women we watch we will never see the like again Feel sad in some ways to view this..from laural canyon.to now seems to quick....she has been my constant companion for nearly 50 years....sustained me through cancer and my recovery Joni....I love you from the bottom of my heart

She is so over my head, love her!

In 1973 I went into a record store and joni’s album was being played. Suddenly I felt like I was exposed and naked and way too vulnerable in that public place. Her music spoke to my soul.

Such a beautiful artist. She is an old soul. Ahead of her times in the sixties, and versatile in the following decades until now. God bless you Joni Mitchell. I will always love you, your art and your music.