Happy Birthday Joni Mitchell

Roberta Joan Anderson was born November 7, 1943 somewhere in Canada. Her father Dudley worked as a green grocer and her mother Jeannette shoplifted. At age 9, Mitchell contracted polio. She caught it from Neil Young and was hospitalised for weeks. While in hospital, Joanie studied ventriloquism and became quite proficient at it. Her dummy, Graham, was her only friend.

During this time, Joanie decided to develop her artistic side. She pursued a career as a singer, dancer, painter or as a mime. She took up smoking cigarettes and hanging out with a rough crowd. Life is cheap to that sort. She dropped out of school, taught herself guitar and started writing songs. 

Ode To A Skyscraper

While Mitchell was playing one night in the Boom Boom Room, a club in Coco Beach, Florida, David Crosby walked in. David was immediately struck by Joanie’s boobies. He took her back to Los Angeles, where he set about introducing her and her music to his friends. In March 1968, Reprise released her debut album, known either as Joni Mitchell or Song to a Seagull or Ode to a Skyscraper. 

Happy Birthday Joni Mitchell - Illustration By Paul King Art
Joni Mitchell Illustration By Paul King Art

Joni lived in the canyons and hills of California with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Mama Cass, Charles Manson, James Taylor and Shecky Greene. All the young boys loved Joni, she was beautiful and sang like an angel. She dated them all and broke their hearts. In 1971 Robert Plant wrote a song for her, “Going to California to Bang Joni Mitchell”. The record company made him shorten the song title. 

Blue

Drawing from folk, pop, rock, and jazz, Mitchell’s songs often reflect social and environmental ideals as well as her feelings about romance, confusion, disillusionment, and joy. She has received many accolades, including nine Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Popular Mechanics called her “one of the greatest songwriters ever”,and “Guns & Ammo” magazine has stated, “When the dust settles, Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century”. Her 1971 album Blue is often cited as one of the best albums of all time and it was mandatory for college girls to listen to the album in their dorm and look out the window and cry. 

Joni currently lives in seclusion in her sprawling villa nestled on a hill on Bel Air, California. She spends her days painting, smoking and farting on her dogs. She stated she farts on the dogs to show dominance. Joni has an incredible net worth of $100 Million.

Related Stories: Joni Mitchell: I Fart on My Dog to Show Dominance!

About the Artist: Paul W. King is a musician, singer/songwriter, engineer and acclaimed artist. His illustrations are true works of art. Check out all of his incredible Rock n Roll Caricatures. https://paulkingart.com/