Joni Mitchell is one of the most acclaimed and influential Canadian singer/songwriters of all time, and now she’s set to be honored with one of her home country’s most prestigious music prizes. The 82-year-old artist will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Awards.
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The ceremony will take place on March 29 at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The event will air live on CBC and CBC Gem. Described as “Canada’s Biggest Night in Music,” the Junos are the country’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards.
Canada’s National Arts Centre will present the honor to Mitchell, recognizing “her outstanding artistic contributions and enduring impact on global music culture.” A press statement also noted that Joni will be “celebrated for her trailblazing artistry that has inspired generations of creators across genres.”
Tickets to the 55th annual Juno Awards go on sale to the general public on Friday, November 28, at 10 a.m. ET. Pre-sale tickets are available now. Visit Ticketmaster.ca for more information. The program also will air live across Canada on March 28 starting at 8 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, and CBC Listen. The ceremony also will stream live around the world via CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s YouTube channel.
More About Joni Mitchell
Mitchell has won several Juno Awards over the years, including Female Vocalist of the Year in 1976 and Best Vocal Jazz Album for Both Sides Now in 2001. She also was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame back in 1981.
In 2002, Joni was named a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honor. She was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
Her many other career achievements include induction into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997.
Joni also was honored as a laureate of the Polaris Music Prize in 1996. In addition, she was saluted at the 2021 Kennedy Center Honors, and received the prestigious Library of Congress Gershwin Prize in 2023.
More About the 2026 Juno Awards
Also at the 2026 Juno Awards, Nelly Furtado will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
The Juno Awards are presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). Nominees for the 2026 honors will be announced on January 27.
“Hamilton has always been a city that lives and breathes music,” said Allan Reid, president and CEO of CARAS and the Juno Awards. “To return here with an incredible lineup that includes Joni Mitchell and Nelly Furtado—two of Canada’s most influential artists—is a fitting way to celebrate our country’s rich musical legacy.”
(Courtesy of the JUNO Awards)
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