Joni Mitchell has been in the news lately for more reasons than one. But especially after a bizarre Today Show interview where Anya Taylor-Joy (rumoured to play Joni Mitchell) was asked what's similar between Joni Mitchell and her other character, Princess Peach. She had a perfect answer: "They're both singular." Anya couldn't be more correct, and Canada is about to celebrate just that at the upcoming Juno Awards.
If you aren't Canadian, you probably don't know what the Junos are. And no, I'm not talking about Sabrina Carpenter's cheeky song where we showcase a sensual position on stage every night. No, the Juno Awards are essentially the Canadian Grammys. So musical performances, awards, and red carpets — but think Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd, and Justin Bieber.
And this year, our very own Joni Mitchell is receiving the Juno Lifetime Achievement Award for her iconic career spanning decades.
She's a Canadian gem, icon, and star! So let me tell you a little about the life and career of the Canadian superstar receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Music Awards this year!
1. She's a Saskachewan gal!
Although she was born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, she was raised in Saskatoon and considers Saskatchewan her "home province."
2. She contracted polio when she was 9 years old, which limited the strength of her left hand, leading her to create unique open-guitar tunings.
And voila! Her quirky and original guitar sound was born.
3. She went to college in Calgary, Alberta.
Joni Mitchell attended the Alberta College of Art for only one year, intending to become a painter. But after becoming a regular performer at the Calgary club The Depression, she fell in love with writing and performing folk music.
4. After starting her career playing folk music in Calgary coffee shops, she moved to Toronto to pursue her dreams.
Broke, ambitious, and barely getting by, Joni moved to Yorkville Ave in Toronto to start a new life.
5. She got pregnant by her boyfriend, a fellow Calgary art student, but it unfortunately didn't last. So she hastily married folk singer Chuck Mitchell.
Born Roberta Joan Anderson, Joni took Chuck's last name and became Joni Mitchell.
6. Due to poverty and the abandonment by her husband, she gave up her baby for adoption when the baby was eight months old.
Joni was barely supporting herself, let alone a baby. And without support from the father or her parents, Joni decided to put her daughter, Kilauren Gibb, up for adoption in 1965. She even concealed the whole pregnancy and birth, not sharing the story with the world until 1997, which led to her reuniting with her daughter.
She told the Times, "The scandal was so intense. A daughter could do nothing more disgraceful. It ruined you in a social sense. You have no idea what the stigma was. It was like you murdered somebody."
7. During a gig, Joni Mitchell met David Crosby, who persuaded Reprise Records to sign her.
And Crosby produced her first album, Song to a Seagull. And they even had a romantic relationship for over a year.
8. Her First Album Was Dedicated to her 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Arthur Kratzmann.
The Australian-born teacher told Joni, "If you can paint with a brush, you can paint with words." And her love for writing was born.
9. She painted most of her own album covers, considering herself a "painter derailed by circumstance."
So music isn't her only talent. She even has a book, Morning Glory on the Vine, filled with her artwork, poetry, and songs. As someone who has this baby on her shelf, I can attest that it's incredible!
10. The kinda Christmas song "River" is inspired by her upbringing in Saskatoon, Canada, where she lived close to the South Saskatchewan River.
Although it has lyrics like "It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down the tree. They're putting up reindeer, singing songs of joy and peace," the song is about a breakup, a loss, and just pure sadness.
11. She is an impressive poker player.
In fact, in the 1970s, Joni Mitchell was a regular at Laurel Canyon poker games hosted by Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey. They'd have a weekly game in Hollywood Hills.
12. In 1970, she won her first Grammy for Best Folk Performance for her second album, Clouds.
Bringing her to commercial success! And giving us one of the best written songs of all time (in my opinion), "Both Sides Now."
13. In fact, she's won 11 Grammys over her career.
And out of 19 nominations, Joni Mitchell has a pretty good win record. From Folk Performance to Best Female Pop Vocal Album to Best Historical Album, Mitchell's career boasts many accolades.
14. Her third album, Ladies of the Canyon, earned Joni Mitchell her first gold record in 1970.
With hits like "Woodstock" and "Big Yellow Taxi," this album is full of classic Joni Mitchell tracks that even novice Joni listeners will recognize.
15. Then, drum roll please... Along came her 1971 album Blue.
It reached the Top 20 on the album chart and became a quintessential Joni Mitchell album. It is the epitome of love, loss, and heartbreak, with songs like "River," "A Case Of You," and even a song about the daughter she gave up, "Little Green."
16. Her single, "Help Me," became a Top 10 single on the U.S. Billboard Chart.
Peaking at 7, it was the only Joni Mitchell song to achieve that high a chart ranking.
17. While recording her eleventh album, Wild Things Run Fast, she met bassist and audio engineer Larry Klein. They sparked a romance, and on 21 November 1982, Mitchell and Klein married.
They were married for 12 years before divorcing in 1994. Even 22 years later, they still share a close bond. Klein said, "I am grateful that I can tell Joni how important a teacher and force she has always been in my life'
18. And now, it's time for her extensive awards, which commemorate her impressive career spanning decades. Let's take a look:
Joni Mitchell received Billboard's Century Award for "distinguished creative achievement" in 1995.
A few years later, in 1997, she was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Patricia Romanowski wrote in a Hall of Fame essay, "The Joni Mitchell's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is an event worthy of both celebration and reflection, a chance to finally dismiss some conventional wisdom about this unconventional artist and to acknowledge her unparalleled influence."
She had a record year, cause in 1997, Joni Mitchell was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Honestly, just showing off at this point.
Then, at the 1981 Juno Awards, Joni Mitchell was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
And in 2002, Joni Mitchell even snagged the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. And rightfully so.
19. And now, to celebrate Joni Mitchell's 19 albums and her decades of artistry, the Juno Lifetime Achievement Award is coming her way. So tune in on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on CBC to see our favourite Canadian icon get the recognition she deserves.
Now in the comments, tell me what your favourite Joni Mitchell song is. I know it's cliché, but "Both Sides Now" will forever be my favourite Mitchell song. It's some of the best songwriting I've ever heard, and I will die on that hill.
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