After more than 20 years since she's performed a full set, Joni Mitchell made a surprise appearance at the Newport Folk Fest bringing fans, celebrities and fellow musicians to their feet. One of the musicians who was deeply moved by her performance was Wynonna Judd, who appeared to be emotional while watching Mitchell perform her 1969 hit, "Both Sides Now."
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In a video captured by an audience member, 78-year-old Mitchell can be seen sitting on the stage with Brandi Carlile next to her and Judd behind her. 58-year-old Judd can be seen singing along with the country star as she was wiping away several tears from her eyes. Judd was one of the artists who joined Mitchell on stage as part of her recreating her private "Joni Jams," which Mitchell has been hosting in her living room for several years with artists such as Harry Styles and Elton John.
Other stars who joined Mitchell at Newport included Marcus Mumford, Carlile and Allison Russell. Her performance was a surprise to the crowd, singing other fan favorite songs, "Big Yellow Taxi" and "A Case of You." Following her touching performance, Mitchell spoke to CBS News about her near-fatal brain aneurysm in 2015, saying she had to re-learn how to play guitar again, along with other efforts.
"I'm learning. I'm looking at videos that are on the net to see where I put my fingers," she said. "It's amazing what an aneurysm knocks out—how to get out of a chair, you don't know how to get out of a bed. You have to learn all these things by rote again. I was into water ballet as a kid, and I forgot how to do the breaststroke. Every time I tried it, I just about drowned. So, a lot of going back to infancy almost. You have to relearn everything."
Mitchell's performance marked the first full set she participated in since her headlining benefit concert in Los Angeles in 2002 and her public performance song 2013 singing at a concert tribute in Toronto. Regarding Judd, the country star stated that The Judds tour, which was scheduled previous to Naomi Judd's passing, would still go on beginning in September and ending in October.
"I've made a decision, and I thought I'd share it on national television that, after a lot of thought, I'm gonna have to honor her and do this tour," she said during a Naomi Judd tribute concert. "The show must go on, as hard as it may be, and we will show up together, and you will carry me as you've carried me for 38 years ... So we will continue this spectacle. That's what she would want, right?"
