orig. Roberta Joan Anderson
born Nov. 7, 1943, Fort McLeod, Alta., Can.
Canadian singer and songwriter.
Mitchell studied art in Calgary, where she began to sing in clubs. She eventually settled in Laurel Canyon, Calif., U.S. Several early songs, including "Both Sides Now" and "Woodstock," became hits for other artists. While her early recordings, such as Clouds (1969) and Blue (1971), were folk-oriented and reflected the idealism of the time, later releases, including Court and Spark (1974), Hejira (1976), Mingus (1979, with Charles Mingus ) and Turbulent Indigo (1994), were marked by strong pop and jazz influences. Her notably original lyrics and musical settings made her one of the preeminent female songwriters of the late 20th century.