Folk music is poetry to music, and it remains relevant today. Folk music is a music genre that includes both traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved during the 20th-century folk revival. Folk music was countercultural and often relied heavily on folklore. Folk music is often acoustic guitar mixed with storytelling/folk based lyrics. Although over time folk music has fused itself with country, pop, and rock (Ruehl). Many people view folk music as outdated and do not see it as relevant to today. It no longer is one of the most popular genres on the charts and is not as talked about as it once was when it re-emerged in the 1960s. Folk music was important in the 1960s as it displayed an anti-war movement message and was expressive of the feelings of the youth during that time. However, I believe folk music is not outdated. Although its popularity began in the 60s and has slowly dwindled since (Ruehl). Folk musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell and their poetic presence have defined an entire genre. Folk music tells a story and often yearns for change and reflects on current feelings. Folk musicians like Joni Mitchell and her music continue to remain relevant today. The message in her songs and music can still be related to by modern audiences. She continued to change her sound but kept her lyrical message. Joni Mitchell is like the wind, a strong gust of fresh air your way. Sometimes a strong gust, and other times a gentle breeze flowing through your hair. A draft tapping at your window, a soft breeze running through dangling wind chimes. Her music shifts and transforms, it never remains stagnant, always moving, always sounding different. But remaining true to her roots, to her writing. Folk music is important to me because I found it during a time in my life when I felt extremely lost. When I started listening to folk music, more specifically musicians like Joni Mitchell, I felt understood by their messages and comforted by their melodies. Folk music was able to express the things that I struggled to say aloud. To me Joni Mitchell is not only an amazing musician and a skilled guitarist, but a poet in her own right.
Is folk music an outdated genre that doesn’t really matter anymore? This is what I know, folk music had a giant cultural impact in the 1960s; it reflected the feelings of youth. Folk music is often poetic, its messages can relate to the listener. The genre, although older, is not outdated, spreading the same messages and feelings of today’s youth. Folk music remains important as the message it shares can still relate to younger audiences, keeping the genre relevant.
I have a vivid memory of staring inside the big music store at all the beautiful guitars lined up on the shelves. A vast range of guitars from acoustic to electric. With so many options, I was unbelievably overwhelmed. But I knew what I wanted, what I had come into the store to finally buy. An acoustic guitar with a great sound, one that looked like the one Joni Mitchell played. The man working there, took down a beautiful Yamaha classic acoustic guitar. I remember holding it in my hands, how it felt both light and slightly heavy. I knew that it was the right guitar for me, however, when I placed my hand on those steel strings. They did not instantly feel as though they should be there. Your fingers feel uncomfortable at first, and you begin to get calluses on them. But over time, as you continue to play, those calluses become numb to discomfort. Your fingers get used to the feel of the steel strings. It was hard, especially in the beginning practicing guitar. There were times when I wanted to give up, but I continued to try. I was fueled by my love of music and my want to learn how to play. I knew I wanted to learn how to play folk music. I saw that playing guitar wasn’t an easy feat; I was inspired by Joni Mitchell, and I had begun to understand how passion and patience plays a vital role in music. Joni Mitchell must’ve had both qualities as she is an amazing guitarist. I continue to practice my guitar and try to get better at it. Although I am not an amazing guitarist, I understand that it takes time, patience, and dedication to perfect a craft.
In the LA Times, Jessica Hopper writes about Joni Mitchell’s career, more specifically her album Blue and how she shattered gender barriers. The article discusses how Joni Mitchell was often boxed in and labelled throughout her career. Especially in the beginning as a young girl on guitar, the music industry did not give her much room for growth and to change her image or sound. Hopper notes that by the early 1970s Mitchell controlled her own music publishing, owned a car and multiple homes at a time where a women could not even legally get a credit card in her own name. When Mitchell had returned to A&M Studios in Hollywood to record “Blue,” she had already had a developed public profile. With songs such as “Both Sides Now” being covered by singers like Judy Collins, Frank Sinatra, and Neil Diamond. Her songs “Big Yellow Taxi” and “The Circle Game” became big hippie sing-alongs. With “Blue,” however, Mitchell ensured there would be no mistaking her work with anyone else’s. “Blue” captured the feeling of disillusionment. At the time Mitchell produced the album in the 1970s, the Woodstock generation were meeting a grim reality to their 60s dreams of peace. Amid the growing momentum of the feminist movement, Joni Mitchell wrote an album which gave women a distinct perspective. The album was a yearning for freedom and self-discovery. She opened the door to the possibility of that freedom for her listeners. Joni Mitchell’s album made women feel seen in a music industry that treated them only like muses. Mitchell communicated that women’s real lives were valuable material for art (Hopper). At a time where women were eager to express themselves and their lives, Mitchell’s “Blue” perfectly described what many women had been feeling at the time.
This I Believe: Folk music is relevant today. As Bob Dylan once famously said, “The Times They are a Changin”, although times and people’s attitudes change. Folk music has managed to capture the trapped feelings of the modern youth. Musicians like Joni Mitchell have provided an open and personal perspective on life. Folk music may seem outdated to some, but I have always found folk music to still be relevant. Listening to Joni Mitchell has always helped me to better understand myself and what I’m going through. She always provides an interesting and wide perspective on life, that isn’t narrowed down or surface level. I found out about Joni Mitchell’s creation of the album “Blue.” While I have always liked this album, I never realized the impact it’s had on so many musicians. Many musicians have come forward and spoke about being inspired by Mitchell’s work. Madonna talked about the album “Blue” citing it as musical inspiration (Starkey). It made me realize how important the release of the album was, as it was Mitchell defining her own sound and image. The album was uniquely hers and others were inspired by her unique sound and message. Joni Mitchell’s music is folk, but it is so many other genres combined. Folk music has a way of combining and intertwining with other genres. It’s poetic and storytelling background, goes so well with pop and rock. Mitchell was notorious for writing a couple silly, radio-friendly hits on her albums to please producers. These songs like, “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio”, were pop and cheery. Poking fun at the music industry and it’s close minded and boxed in way of viewing music (Martoccio). Mitchell pointed them out for often opting for commercialized lyrics and cheery tunes rather than actual stories and messages. Joni Mitchell’s music focuses on freedom, living independently, and travelling. Women were inspired by her messages and the life she lives. Joni Mitchell gave a voice to women’s stories.
Works Cited
Hopper, Jessica. “How Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ Shattered Gender Barriers - Los Angeles Times.” Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2021, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-06-22/joni-mitchell-blue-feminism-1971.
Martoccio, Angie. “Rolling Stone.” Rolling Stone, 28 July 2022, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/joni-mitchell-asylum-box-set-for-the-roses-1389289.
Ruehl, Kim. “What Exactly Is Folk Music? Banjos, Jugbands, and More.” LiveAbout, Feb. 2019, www.liveabout.com/what-is-folk-music-1322534.
Starkey, Arun, and Arun Starkey. “How Joni Mitchell Influenced Madonna.” Far Out Magazine, Dec. 2021, faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-joni-mitchell-influenced-madonna.