Legendary songwriter and performer Joni Mitchell made a surprise and rare live showing at the recent Newport Folk Festival over the weekend, performing with friend and collaborator Brandi Carlile.
The duo performed renditions of “A Case of You” and “Just Like The Train” for rapt audiences.
Videos by American Songwriter
Earlier in the weekend, Paul Simon also made an appearance at the festival, performing four songs with the booming-voiced Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, including “The Boxer” and “Sound of Silence.”
For her part, Mitchell has been mostly retired from music after enduring a brain aneurysm in 2015. But she’s been making more and more public (and even private) musical appearances thanks to the urging of friends like Carlile.
Earlier this year, Mitchell made a public performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards, where she enjoyed the honor of being the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year. She also received a trophy for Best Historical Album for her retrospective, Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol 1: The Early Years (1963-1967).
Performing while seated, Mitchell was backed by “The Joke” singer, along with other names like Marcus Mumford (who just announced a new solo album that includes Carlile and a solo tour), Lucius, Blake Mills, Taylor Goldsmith and more.
Check out some fan-captured footage from the performances below. Music journalist Aimsel Ponti shared the video clip on Twitter, writing, “What is life? Joni Mitchell singing A Case of You with Brandi Carlile! #NewportFolkFest”
Photo by Marcy Gensic / Reservoir Media
More Latest Music News & Stories
-
Photo by Dingena Mol / ANP / AFP via Getty Images -
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 12: Singer Barry Manilow performs onstage during the "Manilow: The Last Seattle Concert" at Climate Pledge Arena on July 12, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images) -
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 16: Glenn Hughes performs Classic Deep Purple Live at La Riviera on May 16, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Javier Bragado/Redferns) -
THE VOICE — "The Playoffs Premiere" Episode 2815 — Pictured: Carson Daly — (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 23: Shania Twain performs a special one-night-only performance for SiriusXM to launch exclusive channel at Racket NYC on July 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SiriusXM) -
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 10: Lainey Wilson performs during the Windy City Smokeout on July 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: (L-R) Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado of Foreigner perform onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the world’s premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 31: Shaboozey performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on July 31, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)