It was standing room only near the front of the stage. Even the sailboats that

polka dotted the harbor seemed to lean in to get a good look. Amidst the smell of

sweat and sunblock, rumors circulated. It was July of 2022 and on this the final

day of the iconic Newport folk festival. A surprise guest was scheduled to make

an appearance. Who could it be? As the afternoon sun beat down a woman dressed

in a billowy silk outfit and big sunglasses made her way to the center of

the stage. She settled into a large pink chair looking like a queen about to

address her people. No one could believe their eyes. Sitting before them was

D. Joni Mitchell. It felt like a miracle especially after all the

Joni had been through. There was a time when no one knew if she'd be able to walk

her talk again. But here she was. And now at 78 years old, decades after she

last performed at this very festival, Joni was here to sing live again.

I'm Carianne Brinkman and this is Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a fairytale

podcast about the Rebel Women Who Inspire Us. On this episode, one of the most

influential musicians of the 20th century, Joni Mitchell.

Born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7th, 1943, in Alberta, Canada, Joni was

the only child of a grocer and a schoolteacher. Growing up in a quiet prairie

town, Joni learned to observe details and appreciate nature's many rhythms.

When Joni was nine, her family made the move to the city of Saskatoon. Not long

after they settled, disaster struck. Joni was diagnosed with polio. Back then,

polio was a serious disease that could paralyze people. Joni was sent

immediately to a hospital. There, one day turned into many months. The polio was

...