Legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is set to delight fans with the release of a new box set filled with rare and previously unheard material from the 1970s. Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) will be available on October 4th, offering a treasure trove of insights into the creative process behind three of Mitchell’s most iconic albums: Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and her groundbreaking collaboration with jazz legend Charles Mingus on Mingus.
This carefully curated collection also captures Mitchell’s time on the road with Bob Dylan during the legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975 and 1976, as well as her performances at the Bread and Roses Festival and the Anti-Nuclear Rally.
As a teaser for the upcoming release, Mitchell shared a clip of her performing the now-classic ‘Coyote’ during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour in Montreal in 1975. Introducing the track, she compared the experience to “running away from home to join the circus” and described the song as a work in progress at the time.
“It’s kinda like running away from home to join the circus,” Mitchell quipped. “I’ve got this tune that’s been growing. It started off with two verses, and a couple of nights later, I added another one. Last night, I got a fourth one. I think it’s finished, but I don’t know—maybe there are a couple more chapters to go. But it’s called ‘Coyote,’ and it goes like this.”
The upcoming box set will be released in both CD and LP formats, complete with extensive liner notes, rare photos, and a candid conversation between Mitchell and renowned filmmaker Cameron Crowe. This latest volume continues the archival series that Mitchell began in 2020 with Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), which showcased her early, folk-leaning material and earned a Grammy Award in 2022 for Best Historical Album.
Reflecting on the series, Mitchell once remarked, “The early stuff—I shouldn’t be such a snob against it.” Her journey with Asylum Records began in 1972, following her work with Reprise Records on some of her best-known albums. She remained with Asylum until 1979, concluding her contract with the release of Mingus.
Adding to the excitement, Mitchell is slated to perform at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles for two special shows in October. Her return to the stage in 2022 marked a triumphant comeback, with sporadic appearances that have included a memorable performance at the Grammys earlier this year.
