Joni Mitchell Joins Brandi Carlile for a Surprise “Joni Jam” at Hollywood Bowl

Andrew Wright | October 16th, 2023

Joni Mitchell performs in concert during a "Joni Jam" honouring her at Gorge Amphitheatre this past June — an event organized by singer and friend Brandi Carlile. Mitchell joined Carlile on stage again this past weekend for a surprise Joni Jam at the Hollywood Bowl. Photo: Gary Miller/Getty Images

Joni Mitchell thrilled fans with yet another “Joni Jam” appearance over the weekend.

The performance came courtesy of singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, 42, who once again brought the 79-year-old Canadian folk legend on stage to close a “Brandi Carlile and Friends” concert.

“Thank you for doing this for me. You make me feel so cool!” said Mitchell, who, as has become tradition for these so-called Joni Jams, sat in a gold throne throughout the performance at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday.

Carlile started the public Joni Jam tradition back in 2022 at the Newport Folk Festival, where Mitchell performed for the first time since suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015. Privately, the jam sessions had taken place at Mitchell’s home where celebrity pals like Carlile, Elton John, Dolly Parton and more would gather to play together.

Since then, Mitchell has hit the stage on multiple occasions, including her first full concert in two decades at the Gorge in Washington State in June and a recent surprise appearance at a tribute concert for the late jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, which was held at the Hollywood Bowl in August.

Clad in a yellow and black ensemble and matching hat, Mitchell performed a number of her classics, including Circle Game, Ladies of the Canyon and Shine, which was added to the set at the request of Carlile.

“I promise not to get too used to asking you favours,” said Carlile. “Can we sing my favourite song that you’ve ever written? Shine?”

Among the musicians joining her onstage were Annie Lennox, 68, who performed duets with the Canadian music legend on two of her own classics — Why and No More ‘I Love You’s — as well as the Eurythmics number Love Is a Stranger.

Between performances, Carlile recalled her first visit to Canada to see Mitchell after the folk legend had suffered a debilitating brain aneurysm.

“Joni wanted to go to this place called Chatterbox Falls. I can’t believe you trusted me to take you all the way up there, 60 miles,” she said of the trip, which saw Carlile show off her boating skills.

“She is a good boater,” Mitchell added of Carlile. “You know, she took the rapids like a champ.”

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