Joni Mitchell Tribute, TNT, 2000

This is just my recollection, from the RT list, of watching the Joni Mitchell tribute on TV with some not-exactly-RT-fan friends.

Upon subsequent listening, I enjoyed the RT contributions more--particularly "Woodstock," which I understand he was tapped to do at the last minute after the guy from Stone Temple Pilots was indisposed.

I wish someone would run this program again or make it available on DVD.




First thought: my dinner/TV guests were far too chatty. It started with why Wynonna dropped the "Judd" and how Bryan Adams looked far less dissolute than in the past, and it continued from there. I managed some discreet "shushing" during "Woodstock," but it didn't last long.

"Tell me again what this guy does," asked Mike. What a question.

"He's doing it right now," I replied.

"No, what would he have sung that I might actually have heard?"

"Er, nothing." (See, I don't proselytize!)

Mike asked the same thing when James Taylor came on, so go figure. I think his wife is the musically savvy one. We were singing along with Cassandra Wilson during "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines"; Hilary knows all the words.

Oh, but back to Richard. ("He has big ears," Mike observed. "Very big ears.") "Woodstock" was wonderful. Maybe a bit too dark? I need to hear it again under better circumstances.

Unlike some of the others who've posted, I didn't find any of the music particularly mediocre, though Bryan Adams didn't do much for me. I was disappointed with "Black Crow," though; I felt like Richard's guitar was far too low in the mix (or something). Then again, one of my guests was going on about Eddie Van Halen and string bending, so perhaps I was a bit distracted.

Rob (my husband) was very impressed that Richard got to introduce the band. He was a good person for this role; indeed, overall the producers varied the speakers and their topics very nicely to present Joni's life story and to take some of the pressure off Ashley Judd. Ashley seemed rather wooden; perhaps this task was rather overwhelming.

I liked Cyndi Lauper. I liked Diana Krall perhaps more.

Oh, Rob's running "Black Crow" upstairs RIGHT NOW (second broadcast)--better run and see it!

Pam