An expansive five-CD Joni Mitchell box set featuring almost six hours of previously unreleased recordings by the lauded Canadian singer/songwriter spanning from 1963 through 1967 will hit stores on October 30.

Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) will feature demos, live performances and recordings from radio and TV appearances presented in chronological order, among them 29 original Mitchell songs never before released with her vocals.

The box set begins with the earliest-known recording of Mitchell, a 1963 radio-station performance in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, when she was just 19. The first song from her set, a rendition of the traditional folk tune “House of the Rising Sun,” has been released as an advanced single digitally. You also can listen to it at Mitchell’s YouTube channel.

The collection finishes with a full performance Joni gave at the Canterbury House venue in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in October 1967, complete with spoken-word introductions to many songs.

The box set also features a 40-page booklet boasting many unseen photos from Mitchell’s personal archives, plus new liner notes featuring new conversations between Joni and music journalist/filmmaker Cameron Crowe.

Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1 is the first in a series of planned compilations that will present previously unheard and rare Mitchell recordings.

In conjunction with the announcement of the series, a new official Joni Mitchell website and social media pages have been launched.

In addition, separate vinyl releases featuring the 1963 radio performance and the 1967 Ann Arbor concert — titled, respectively, Early Joni and Live at Canterbury House – 1967 — will also be issued on October 30. Limited-edition, colored-vinyl versions of both albums will be sold exclusively at Store.JoniMitchell.com.

Visit JoniMitchell.com for full track lists and more information.

By Matt Friedlander
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