LOS ANGELES — The 66th Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, is guaranteed to make history when an 80-year-old icon takes the stage. Folk-rock legend Joni Mitchell will perform at the Grammys for the first time ever.
Mitchell won her first Grammy Award in 1970, long before most of her fellow nominees were born. It was for Best Folk Performance for "Clouds."
You can watch the Grammy Awards LIVE on KHOU 11 Sunday night at 7 p.m.
This year, Mitchell is nominated for best folk album for "Joni Mitchell at Newport." It was recorded in July at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. It was Mitchell's first full-length concert since 2002. That surprise performance was a gift to many fans who probably never expected to see her perform again after she had an aneurysm and other health complications in 2015.
Mitchell was born and raised in Canada and her childhood dream was to be a painter, according to her website. She credits her 7th grade English teacher with inspiring her to write poetry. "If you can paint with a brush, you can paint with words," he told her.
As a teen, Mitchell said she discovered rock and roll by listening to radio broadcasts out of Texas. She couldn't afford a guitar so she bought a $36 ukelele. Mitchell began playing at private parties and local coffeehouses. She eventually dropped out of college to move to Toronto and pursue a musical career.
Her long list of hit songs include "Both Sides Now," "Circle Game," "Big Yellow Taxi," and "River."
Other Grammy performers
Other performers at the Grammy Awards include SZA, Billy Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Burna Boy, Luke Combs, Travis Scott, U2 and Billy Joel.
