Paul Simon wasn’t the only surprise guest at this weekend’s Newport Folk Festival. Joni Mitchell took the stage on Sunday for a rare live performance, joining Brandi Carlile as part for a 13-song tribute set performed in Mitchell’s honor.
Mitchell has been largely retired from music since suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015. Earlier this year, she made a rare public appearance at the Grammy Awards, where she was honored as the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year and received a trophy for Best Historical Album for her retrospective album, Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol 1: The Early Years (1963-1967).
At Newport, Mitchell appropriately performed while seated on a throne. Over the evening, Carlile, Marcus Mumford, Wynonna Judd, Lucius, Blake Mills, Taylor Goldsmith, and others took turns playing their favorite Mitchell tracks. Mitchell herself sang at various points, including during “A Case of You” and “Just Like This Train.” She also played a guitar solo during “Just Like This Train.” Watch fan-captured footage of the performance below.
On Saturday, Paul Simon made his own surprise appearance during Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats’ headlining set, sitting in for four songs.
Joni Mitchell took the stage at @NewportFolkFest on Sunday for a rare live performance, joining @BrandiCarlile to sing “A Case of You” and “Just Like This Train”: https://t.co/PhBeGJ8gMa pic.twitter.com/OqNa6ZZcLS
— Consequence (@consequence) July 25, 2022
What is life? Joni Mitchell singing A Case of You with Brandi Carlile!#NewportFolkFest pic.twitter.com/61KbnaQFAj
— Aimsel Ponti (@Aimsel) July 24, 2022