Joni Mitchell Announces Newport Folk Festival Live Album

Joni Mitchell has officially announced At Newport, a live album immortalizing her surprise appearance at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival. The project arrives on streaming services, CD, and 2xLP on July 28th.

Mitchell’s first live performance in 20 years came during Brandi Carlile’s set at the festival, so it’s only fair that Carlile would co-produce the live album with Mitchell herself. Phil and Tim Hanseroth, Wynonna Judd, Marcus Mumford, Celisse, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius, and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes also performed with the artists during the set, which featured Mitchell classics like “Big Yellow Taxi,” “A Case Of You,” and “Both Sides Now.” Mitchell even performed a solo instrumental version of “Just Like This Train” on guitar.

At Newport also features liner notes from Cameron Crowe, who contextualizes Mitchell’s set — which followed a brain aneurysm she suffered in 2015 — with the earnest prose we’ve come to know from the writer/filmmaker. “Mitchell emerged from the side of the stage, swaying smoothly, in fine summer-style with beret and sunglasses,” he writes. “Within minutes, the news had rocketed around the globe. Mitchell was back, sparkling with enthusiasm, delivering a tender and passionate set of 13 songs, ending with a joyful sing-along of ‘The Circle Game.’”