Joni Mitchell, 80, offers a stunning 'Both Sides, Now' for first Grammys performance
LOS ANGELES — Proving that age and relevance are not mutually exclusive, Joni Mitchell made her debut Grammy performance at Sunday’s ceremony hours after winning her 10th career award.
Despite her Grammys success, including a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, the legendary folk singer, 80, had never brought her husky voice and acoustic guitar to the Grammy stage.
For her performance Sunday, Mitchell sang one of the most beloved ballads in her catalog, "Both Sides, Now," with her musical steward, Brandi Carlile, as well as Lucius, Jacob Collier, Black Mills, Allison Russell and SistaStrings accompanying her.
Seated on a gold fabric throne surrounded by dim lighting, Mitchell delivered the poignant song with a lived-in rasp and deeply resonant understanding of its emotional lyrics about not really knowing life at all. She tapped her cane in rhythm with the song and smiled as the audience showered her with a deserving ovation.
As Carlile said in her introuction, "(Joni) redefined the purpose of a song to reflect the contents of a person's soul."
Mitchell's latest Grammy — best folk album — was accepted during the pre-show for her live album, "Joni Mitchell at Newport," with Carlile by her side.
"We had so much fun at that concert, and I think you can feel it on the record," Mitchell said while accepting her award. The album marked her first public performance in 20 years after she made a surprise appearance at the 2022 event. "It's a very joyous record because of the people I played with and the spirit of the occasion was very high and it went onto the record. Even the audience sounds like music."
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The Mitchell renaissance — aided by Carlile, whom she met at Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala several years ago — has been remarkable considering "The Circle Game" legend essentially retired following a 2015 brain aneurysm and the intensive rehabilitation it required.
But her now-famous "Joni Jams," which began at her home with artists including Carlile, Marcus Mumford, Hozier and Annie Lennox, were nudged into public view last summer with a show at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington.
Mitchell also just announced a pair of "Joni Jams" to be held at the Hollywood Bowl Oct. 19-20, her first appearances in Los Angeles since 2000.
The revered singer-songwriter's recent live performances were preceded by a handful of accolades, including a Kennedy Center Honor in December 2021, being christened the MusiCares Person of the Year by the Recording Academy in April 2022 — where she tentatively joined Carlile, Jon Batiste and others for a few lines of "Big Yellow Taxi" — and earning the 2023 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song for her lifetime contributions to music.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joni Mitchell performs at Grammys for first time, wins 10th award
