Joni Mitchell Receives Honorary Doctorate From Berklee Faculty of Music – Billboard

Joni Mitchell has collected a shelf-full of awards over her half century-plus profession, however she mentioned few have been sweeter than the honorary doctorate bestowed on her on Tuesday night (August 23) by the Berklee Faculty of Music in recognition of her contribution to music.

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“Since her debut within the late Nineteen Sixties, Joni has been a drive for change within the business, blazing the path for girls in music with an unwavering dedication to reaching the standing rightfully due her as one of many world’s nice musical artists,” Berklee President Erica Muhl said at the event, which was held at a non-public residence in Santa Monica, California. Along with lauding Mitchell’s trailblazing musical profession, Muhl mentioned the night was additionally an opportunity to “spotlight Joni’s vital work as an activist and champion for girls in music” by way of a collaboration with the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, a corporation she mentioned has finished “pioneering work on this identical space.”

Along with her signature wit on full show, Mitchell, 78, paid homage to each her childhood piano instructor and her dad and mom in a speech that was each self-deprecating and considerate. She collected the award whereas reminiscing concerning the piano teacher who known as her out for not following the sheet music, quoting the phrases that echoed in her head as a baby.

“‘Why would you wish to play by ear when you possibly can have the masters underneath your fingertips!’ And she or he whacked me throughout the knuckles along with her ruler,” Mitchell mentioned with amusing whereas recalling her early classes, in accordance with a narrative concerning the evening’s occasion. “So I mentioned to her, ‘However the masters needed to play by ear to give you that stuff.’ And she or he whacked me once more. I ponder if she noticed any of this [tonight]. It’s my second of revenge.”

The evening additionally included video clip tributes from a lot of Mitchell’s admirers, together with Eurythmics and solo star Annie Lennox, who mentioned, ” I’d by no means have thought of turning into a singer-songwriter if I’d by no means heard Courtroom and Spark and all the gorgeous, stunning items of labor that you’ve created over your lifetime.”

Mitchell took all of it in stride, joking that “fortunately I’m too outdated to get a swelled head,” when accepting the consideration and shouting out her good buddies and colleagues flanking her on stage, jazz greats Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. However she additionally remembered those that didn’t make it, including, “I want my dad and mom have been alive. My mom particularly can be actually pleased with this as a result of she needed me to go to school. I went to artwork college and I give up after a yr. She thinks of me as a quitter. So to see this achievement can be very spectacular to her. I want I may share it along with her.”

Among the many musicians paying tribute to Mitchell on Tuesday have been Dianne Reeves, who carried out “River” and “Each Sides Now,” and Esperanza Spalding, ” who performed “The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey” and “Love.”

Mitchell’s “Each Sides Now” returned to a number of Billboard charts dated Aug. 6 after her viral live performance of the music on the Newport Folks Pageant in Newport, R.I., July 24. Mitchell carried out her first full set in over 20 years through the competition. The shock look featured musicians resembling Brandi Carlile, Marcus Mumford, Wynonna Judd and extra.

Take a look at photos from the occasion beneath.