This Day in Cultural History

February 1, 1969 – Canadian-born Joni Mitchell makes her debut at Carnegie Hall. Though not a roof-raising experience such as Benny Goodman’s 31 years before (or, for that matter, the Beatles nearly five years before this), it propels Mitchell firmly into the top ranks of soft-rock singer-songwriters, a movement that will soon see James Taylor, Carly Simon, Carole King, and Jackson Browne at the top of the charts.Th

Mitchell’s growing prominence will bring her to the attention of Crosby Stills and Nash and the L.A. music and entertainment scene, including mogul David Geffen. The kind of parties she would soon join are memorably evoked in An American Band: The America Story (see pp. 121-122).

Thirty-seven years to the day later, with Mitchell in semi-retirement and deep gloom over her status as a “heritage” (i.e., mature) artist in the recording industry, a tribute to the great poet-artist and her songs of commitment and freedom is held in the same venue in which she broke into the mainstream of American music. The list of performers range from the firmly established (Judy Collins, Tom Rush) down to much younger artists (Nellie McKay, Jesse Malin). Proceeds from the concert benefited Music for Youth, which fosters innovative music education programs and scholarships for young people.