100 Greatest Guitarists: David Fricke's Picks: Joni Mitchell

100

99

98

97

96

95

94

93

92

91
90

89

88

87

86

85

84

83

82

81
80

79

78

77

76

75

74

73

72

71
70

69

68

67

66

65

64

63

62

61
60

59

58

57

56

55

54

53

52

51
50

49

48

47

46

45

44

43

42

41
40

39

38

37

36

35

34

33

32

31
30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

22

21
20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11
10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Joni Mitchell

Russel/Redferns

prev 72/100 next

The secret to Mitchell's daring guitar work is that she uses more than fifty different tunings. Mitchell devised the alternate tunings to compensate for a left hand weakened by childhood polio. In time she used them as a tool to break free of standard approaches to harmony and structure.