Joni Mitchell’s Scandalous Past

Joni Mitchell’s Scandalous Past

Joni Mitchell, queen of the singer-songwriters, has been through heartbreaks, tragedies, and feuds. And Mitchell held on to her darkest secret for decades. That is until a newspaper exposed it in 1995. Today, we’re revealing the juicy facts about the rocky life of Joni Mitchell. Our story starts in 1954, and boy, we are not off to a good start because in ’54, Roberta Joan Anderson woke up one day unable to get out of bed. Polio had come for her, and the consequences were devastating. The preteen was shipped from her Alberta town to a city clinic. There, she not only witnessed suffering, but faced mortality all at the ripe age of 9 years old. Joni’s limbs remained uncooperative, so her prognosis remained grim. And yet, she fought back hard. Over these weeks, she rose from the ashes of her old self. Her parents did not pay her a visit, but Joni made the best of a bad family. She sang for the other patients and fell in love with performing. And at the same time, Joni battled polio like crazy and amazed them by standing up and walking. Her victory sparked a lifetime of defiance, though she doesn’t always direct this energy to the right places. Joni Mitchell is many things, and too cool for school was one. Joni already knew she was destined for bigger things, so instead of hitting her books, she ended up with a sketchy crowd and paid the price for it. Joni barely passed high school and barely got into art school. And a little spoiler, she dropped out a year later. The education Joni received in Calgary was a different kind, if you catch our drift. Joni was the only virgin at her school and wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Brad McMath was tall, blond, and dreamy. They were a match made in convenience. Neither were looking for love, and both found something else entirely. Enter the P word.

This time it wasn’t polio, it was pregnancy. Now at just 20 years old, Joni moved to Toronto to pursue music. At least, that’s what she told people. As it turns out, she admitted a few details. She did hustle and struggle as a singer, but Joni also left with her fling turned baby daddy to hide the pregnancy from their traditional parents. Sadly, the big city had big heartbreaks in store. Some find the strength and courage to step up under pressure, but Brad wasn’t one of those people. His reaction was chilling because he ended up fleeing the country. Joni couldn’t even provide for herself, much less a baby. The more her belly grew, the more terrifying the future looked. She tried to imagine it and saw nothing but suffering. Joni knew what she had to do, but this decision still haunts her. After giving birth to daughter Kelly Dale Anderson, Joni gave her up to foster care. Joni’s first-hand experiences with abandonment, the distant parents, and the polio ward exasperated her agony, but Joni clung on to hope that she’d improve her circumstances and come back. A few weeks later, Joni found the solution, or so she thought. Chuck Mitchell was tall, handsome, and an older American folk singer, but most importantly, he was Joni’s best chance at getting her daughter back. The plan was to move to Detroit and perform as a duo. Once Joni and Chuck earned enough, they planned to return for daughter Kelly, and then they could live happily ever after. But we all know what they say about the best laid plans. Shortly after, Joni and Chuck got married, but their differences soon became apparent. Joni was young, creative, vibrant, and very talented. Meanwhile, Chuck was older, college-educated, and traditional. At the time, it didn’t matter. After all, Joni saw this as nothing more than a means to an end, but this union, like her first relationship of convenience, was doomed. Chuck Mitchell was many things, but a good husband wasn’t one of them. She recalled proudly sharing her new song Both Sides Now with him. His response was heartbreaking. He made her feel like an idiot, and according to Rolling Stone, it’s one of the best songs ever. This was his coping mechanism. Joni was more talented, and everyone knew it. She might have tolerated these digs, but other problems were piling up. Joni Mitchell dreamed of the day she could get her baby girl back, only for it all to fall apart.

She and Chuck finally returned to Kelly’s foster home. They held her, they marveled at the mother-daughter resemblance, but then Joni made a devastating decision. She finally signed the papers to surrender Kelly to her foster parents for good. All Joni left behind was a file with a hint, quote, “Mother left Canada for the US to pursue career as folk singer.” Quote. Now, Joni could focus on her music and her failing marriage, or at least she tried to, but Kelly haunted Joni. Music turned out to be a conduit, not an escape. All her experiences, good and bad, found their way into the lyrics. While Joni still technically kept Kelly a secret, her music was an open book. She pumped out song after song about her daughter, yet no one picked up on these not-so-subtle hints. Joni’s secret was safe, for now. Two years later, Joni finally saw the light. Specifically, Joni finally saw Chuck as her first major exploiter, so she ditched the man, but kept the last name. Joni Mitchell was no longer a wife or half of a duo. She was a solo woman and a solo artist. Her talents only shined brighter. The world became hers for the taking, and boy, did she go after it. At the end of the 1960s, times were changing, and Joni loved every second of it. That’s when she had an epiphany. Joni realized, quote, “With absolute exhilaration and a little fear that my life was not going to play out on the same traditional feminine timeline as my mother and grandmothers.” Quote. Now in 1967, Leonard Cohen’s mother telling Joni, quote, “Be prepared to bleed.” Quote. Is one of the biggest red flags of them all. But Joni couldn’t ignore how sparks flew when she met the older singer-songwriter. This relationship only lasted a few months, but their musical influence on each other lives on. Joni and Leonard got a happily ever after, but just as friends. Sadly, we can’t say the same about Joni’s rebound. Now, whoever said that distance makes the heart grow fonder clearly didn’t see Joni Mitchell and David Crosby together. They began their relationship in the summer and in Florida, but apparently, what goes on in Florida stays in Florida. When David visited Joni in New York City, he became, quote, “Unattractive in every way.”

Quote. David then did the unforgivable. As their careers increased, their time spent together decreased, but that doesn’t excuse David’s cruel betrayal. He began seeing another woman behind Joni’s back. Even worse, he went back to his ex-girlfriend. When Joni discovered his affairs, she didn’t impulsively lash out. Instead, she plotted because Joni didn’t just get mad, she got even. Joni Mitchell had revenge on her mind when she attended a party with David. The guests gathered as she played her new song, the song about the Midway. Everyone was so excited until they realized it was a breakup song dedicated to David. And just in case it wasn’t clear she was dumping David, Joni sang it again. But she didn’t quite get the reaction she wanted. Joni didn’t expect it, but David found the stunt hysterically funny. On top of that, he wasn’t angry about the embarrassing moment. After all, a little awkwardness pales in comparison to cheating. Now, in 1968, Joni Mitchell released her self-titled debut album, which started a groundbreaking career. Since then, she’s released a whopping 19 albums, sold nearly 10 million copies, and won 11 Grammys. On top of that, Joni’s a critic darling. No list of best artists, best songs, and best albums is complete without her. And she had a secret weapon. Joni writes her music with not only a pen, but a vulnerability and openness. And some do think she goes too far. Country music legend Kris Kristofferson even told her, “Oh Joni, save something for yourself.” But fans found comfort in how Joni shares her experiences, especially the sad ones. And unfortunately, there were plenty heading her way. When Joni sang to Graham Nash in 1969, it was music at first sight. He was a handsome singer-songwriter, but most importantly, he was nice and adored her. Joni suspected that he could be the one, so when he got down on one knee, she accepted. A happily ever after loomed on the horizon. Well, it did until Joni started getting cold feet. Turns out her past was inescapable. Joni Mitchell claims she feels like her family has a curse. She’s the victim of her mother’s unhappiness with marriage and motherhood. She knew this because her mother told her. Joni went back another generation and found the same. Both her grandmas selflessly gave up their artistic passions for marriage and motherhood. And Joni, she did not want to end up like them.

Now, Joni is great at many things, but one underrated thing is dumping people in brutal ways. If texting was around in 1970, Joni probably would have dumped Graham by text. Instead, she sent him a telegram, quote, “If you hold sand too tightly in your hand, it will run through your fingers. Love, Joan.” Quote. But despite this, Joni was not over Graham, which became clear the next time they crossed paths. Joni Mitchell tries to stay friends with exes, but once this blew up in her face. When an ex invited her onto a group boat trip in Panama, she accepted. After all, sailing with friends to beautiful places is a perfect way to get over a failed engagement. However, when she turned up, she realized too late that Graham was joining them. Although, in other words, life handed her boatloads of songwriting material. In true Joni fashion, she worked her magic and transformed her pain. Now, Joni’s 1971 album Blue isn’t just about the many heartbreaks of her life, including Kelly and Graham, and it isn’t just considered her best album, it’s considered one of the best albums of all time. Other artists would have found creating Blue cathartic, but it only worsened Joni’s blues. That explains what, or rather who, she did next. 1973 was the year of back-to-back breakups. It started with James Taylor, a famous singer-songwriter, bad boy, and just a mess. Substance issues brought him to dark places, and the consequences were disastrous because he dragged Joni with him. She tried to find comfort in Jackson Browne, but he’s another singer-songwriter who turned out to be a leering narcissist. After Browne dumped Joni Mitchell, the rumor mill whispered that she was becoming self-destructive. Joni never forgot one particular line that claimed she had tried to end her life and self-harm. She responded, “Where do they get this garbage from? I’m not that crazy. I’m crazy, but I’m not that kind of crazy.” Now, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson have a lot in common. For instance, they’re both actors and Hollywood heartthrobs. Oh, and they both wanted Joni, but their approaches couldn’t have been more different. When Joni rejected Jack, he remained her friend and a fan. Sadly, it turns out that Warren’s depraved reputation is well-earned. In the 1970s, Warren dominated not just Hollywood, but his countless women, too. Joni’s rejection made no sense to him, so Warren believed that it was only a matter of time until she caved in to his seduction. It turns out Joni wasn’t playing hard to get. She just tried to avoid messy relationships. Naturally, another one soon found her. Enter a handsome drummer named John who found his way to Joni’s heart. Soon enough, their professional and personal lives merged into a dangerous union. The couple collaborated musically and even went on tour together, but there’s a reason why people don’t say mix business with pleasure, and they were about to find out why. Welcome to the beginning of the end. John was not fond about Joni hanging out with her exes, and one night, as Joni chatted with an ex, John barged in. In his eyes, he just caught Joni in the act, and he wanted revenge.

There’s no fury like a scorned lady’s men. John found a new lady and paraded her in front of Joni, but that wasn’t the worst part. With all that was happening, they were still touring together. Joni couldn’t get away from them. This led to a meltdown, a canceled tour, and a much-needed break. Naturally, Joni made sense of her pain by transforming it into melodies. In 1977, a new decade approached, but Joni Mitchell battled the same dysfunctional relationships. Joni’s relationships were often psychologically harmful, but percussionist Charles Don crossed another line. Joni shared that the drummer, fueled by anger, paranoia, and jealousy, “beat me up pretty badly.” Quote. She called it quits after 4 years and three beatings. This put her on a collision course with her future husband. 1982 was Joni’s year. She made bold moves with her music and love life. Larry Klein was a bassist 13 years her junior. They ended up not only working together on her music, but they married the same year. At age 42, the P-word reentered Joni’s life 3 years into her marriage. Unfortunately, Joni only made things worse for herself. She refused to quit her four-pack-a-day habit, drinking, or anything that would have helped. Sadly, she ended up suffering a physically and mentally painful miscarriage. Fast forward to Thanksgiving 1992, and Joni and Larry didn’t have much to be thankful for. The miscarriage, work arguments, financial stress, and work disappointment finally pushed their marriage to a breaking point. So, Larry then issued an ultimatum. They both needed to change, and Joni responded, “I’m not going to be changing much at this point.” Quote. And just like that, it was over. Now, in 1995, one of Joni’s oldest secrets came back to haunt her. That year, a friend from art school sold a story about her to a tabloid, or more accurately, a story about the daughter that Joni had given away. Now, Joni had clung onto this secret for decades, but when newspapers to the world, she ended up telling the truth. And as violating as this betrayal is, there was a silver lining. Joni could now publicly search for her daughter. The hunt was now on. This time, fate was on her side.

Her daughter, who goes by K’sLauren, went looking for her birth parents around the same time. In 1997, mother and daughter finally reunited. It was as moving as you would imagine. Joni even declared that her life was complete. No more songwriting needed. But it didn’t last. It was a happy reunion, but not a happily ever after. K’sLauren, like her mother, had baggage, and a lot of it. It includes dropping out of school, financial struggles, mommy issues, daddy issues, and baby daddy drama. It’s like deja vu, and this led to fight after fight. And one day, Joni went too far. Joni and her daughter always managed to patch things up after a fight, but not this time. In the year 2000, one argument went off the rails. We know this because K’sLauren reported to the police that Joni slapped her. The house of cards that was this mother-daughter relationship collapsed. They didn’t speak for years. Once again, Joni lost her daughter, maybe for good. But since the estrangement in 2000, Joni and her daughter started to work on their relationship. The singer had her fair share of complicated relationships, and this one with K’sLauren may be her messiest, but most important one. Now, what did you find most interesting about Joni’s life? Was it the romantic relationships, the family issues, the music?