LAS VEGAS (AP) — An 81-year-old jazz giant and a 15-year-old rock singer were the first to pay tribute to Joni Mitchell on Friday night.
Such was the diversity of artists honoring a vastly different artist, Mitchell, Canadian-turned-California-turned-folkie-turned-rocker-turned-jazz explorer, who two days earlier was named 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year by the Recording Academy Grammy Awards.
Herbie Hancock performed a jazz piano version of music from Mitchell’s 1976 album Hejira, followed by a rocking version of 1974’s “Help Me” by Violet Grohl, the teenage daughter of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, around the tribute concert to open in a ballroom at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
Mitchell, sitting at the front table, brought out the teenager in many of the older entertainers.
“When I first heard Joni Mitchell it was 1968 and I was 15 years old,” said Cyndi Lauper, now 68. “I had never heard anyone sing so heartily about what it’s like to be a young woman navigating this world.”
Lauper recited some of Mitchell’s lines that moved her the most before jumping into “Magdalene Laundry” while playing the dulcimer.
“I don’t know how you do what you do, I just know I need it like food,” Meryl Streep said in a video message played for Mitchell and the crowd. “Ever since we were both young girls. We didn’t know each other, but you sang me into life. You sang my life.”
Seven years after a brain aneurysm left her temporarily unable to walk or speak, Mitchell, 78, was delighted to be in Las Vegas and at a major public event for the first time since the pandemic began.
“I had the best margarita I’ve ever had at our hotel,” she told The Associated Press as she entered the gala.
Mitchell is a presenter and a nominee for Best Historical Album at Sunday’s Grammys. She says she’s always found herself in the genres and categories that didn’t make the Grammy show.
“I usually win the awards behind the curtain,” she said, laughing.
Inside, at a table with Hancock and director Cameron Crowe, Mitchell often appeared on the verge of tears as a parade of performers praised her before giving their interpretations of her songs.
“Not unlike people who lived in the days of Shakespeare and Beethoven, we live in the days of Joni Mitchell and that shows tonight,” said Brandi Carlile, who sang a version of “Woodstock” that was set as a quiet ballad began before the house band kicked in and Stephen Stills – who played with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on the most famous 1970 version of the song – joined her for an electric guitar solo.
In a new approach to this year’s MusiCares tribute, organizers appointed Carlile, who is up for five Grammys on Sunday, and Jon Batiste, who is up for 11, as music directors to coordinate the artists and their approach to the difficult genre of songs from Mitchells five decades of career.
“We’ve been helping artists find their Joni songs to connect their souls to,” Carlile told the AP. “This is not easy music. This is complicated, brilliant music that is really difficult to interpret.”
Before singing one of those esoteric songs, “The Jungle Line” from 1975’s The Hissing of the Summer Lawns, Beck said, “Preparing for this event makes me feel like I’m in the Joni school.”
John Legend gave a surprise performance, singing Mitchell’s “River” and playing solo piano on a revolving stage in the center of the room while the 2,400-strong crowd finished their spinning dessert, an edible Grammy trophy on a turntable.
“Everyone was great, it just got better and better and better,” Mitchell said in a brief acceptance speech near the end of the concert. “I can retire now and just let others do it.”
But she showed that she’s not quite done yet.
Carlile and Batiste brought most of the night’s performers back on stage to sing along to “The Circle Game” and “Big Yellow Taxi.”
Mitchell eventually made his way to the mic to join them, delivering the latter song’s famous baritone ending.
“Set up a parking lot,” she sang to laughter and cheers from the crowd.
The MusiCares Person of the Year is a career achievement award given for a combination of inspirational artistic achievement and philanthropy. The gala at which it will be presented will raise funds for the programs of MusiCares, the Recording Academy charity that provides health and welfare services to musicians in need.
Past honorees include Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton and Aerosmith.
___
Follow AP Entertainment writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: twitter.com/andyjamesdalton