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Joni Mitchell Gets Onstage At 75th Birthday Concert Despite Recent Health Issues (EXCLUSIVE)
Bohemian Queen Joni Mitchell has been through a lot over the past few decades, but at age 75, things are seemingly better than ever for her. The music icon recently celebrated her milestone birthday in a very special way — with her very own concert!
“How many great artists can get by with just their first names?” Tom Hanks asked Closer Weekly at Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration on Nov. 7 in LA. Tom likened Joni Mitchell to Prince, Elvis Presley, and Cher, adding, “Her music was this big, warm quilt that fit over all of us.” Joni is known for hits including “Chelsea Morning,” “Woodstock,” and “Blue.”
Other artists that paid tribute to Joni included Kris Kristofferson, James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, and Joni’s ex-boyfriend Graham Nash. “She’s a brilliant woman that I was in love with and was in love with me,” he gushed to Closer. “She changed my life.”
Joni has been battling health issues since suffering a brain aneurysm three years ago. After the scary incident, Joni’s friend told Closer that she was “severely impaired” at the time. “She’s been in intensive care for a month, and it doesn’t seem like she’ll be released anytime soon,” the pal said back in May 2015. The friend added that back then, no matter what happened, “Joni enjoyed her life and tried to make the most of it.” She confessed, “We are pulling for her.”
Well, all the support Joni received during that extremely difficult time helped, because she joined her guests onstage for a rendition of her 1970 hit “Big Yellow Taxi” at the concert last week. As her pal Monty Python’s Eric Idle told Closer, “I’m happy that she’s recovering because she had a really bad time. She’s got such spirit and strength.” We’re so glad to have Joni back!
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