WKCR is very excited to announce an eight-and-a-half-hour broadcast celebrating the 81st birthday of legendary musician Joni Mitchell. Known for her unique tunings, transcendent voice, and lyrical abilities, Mitchell has come to be seen as one of the defining singer-songwriters of the 20th century, with her albums Blue, Ladies of the Canyon, and Court and Spark all going platinum.

Joni Mitchell was born on November 7, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada, living there for 11 years before her family relocated to the city of Saskatoon. It was there that Mitchell first immersed herself in the arts, learning to play the guitar from a Pete Seeger songbook. By the 1960s, she had moved to Toronto, where her career began to blossom in the folk music scene, it being characterized by her distinctive deep voice and intricate guitar work. However, Mitchell was never one to be defined by something as trivial as genre, blending folk with jazz, blues, rock, and pop in her oeuvre. As an example, in the mid-1970s, Mitchell began collaborating more and more with notable Jazz musicians including (but not limited to) Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock. WKCR will showcase a wide range of Mitchell’s music, from her seminal work of the 1960s and 70s, to hidden gems from her more modern albums.

Listeners can tune in on 89.9FM or stream the birthday broadcast live on our website, wkcr.org. Follow WKCR on Instagram (@wkcr) and Twitter (@WKCRFM) for updates about this special broadcast and future events. As always, online listening is available 24/7 at wkcr.org via our web stream.

Drawing of Joni Mitchell by McCartney Garb.