It may come as a surprise to some that my greatest musical influence is, and always has been, Joni Mitchell. I have deeply steeped myself in her compositions and recordings since I was 14, and I have owned or listened to all her albums (19 studio albums, plus live albums, and compilations).
When many people think about Joni Mitchell, they’re familiar with her first two groundbreaking releases A Song to a Seagull and Clouds – both beautiful, folk albums – or her wonderful radio hits, like “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio,” “Help Me,” or “Big Yellow Taxi,” to name a few. Those who have followed her music throughout her career recognize her jazzy and jazz years – accompanied by stellar instrumentalists from both coasts, and even a short stint with techno pop, produced by one of her biggest lifetime fans, Thomas Dolby. There’s a reason she was able to attract long-time collaborators, like Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorious, Wayne Shorter, Larry Klein, Tom Scott and the L.A. Express, and why the often-ornery Charles Mingus worked with her to put lyrics and vocals to some of his challenging compositions.
Besides giving me a lifetime of incredible music listening, Joni Mitchell has heavily influenced me in four distinct ways: my rhythmic and sometimes percussive guitar style; her lyrics and lyrical structure; her vocal phrasing; and her unusual chord voicings. So, in light of her many contributions to my entire original catalogue, I wrote this song for her. It may not sound like Joni Mitchell to some listeners, but believe me, she’s in there. Thank you for that, Joni.
Thank You, Joni
Music Copyright 2025, Ned Andrew Solomon
Recorded at Azalea Studios, Nashville
Recording, Engineering, & Production: Fett
Acoustic Guitars: Ned Andrew Solomon Bass: Fett
Piano: Dave Hoffner
Cello: Ron De La Vega
Drums: R.P. Chester
Videography: Bernie Lynette
Executive & Video Production: Gina Lynette
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