Big Yellow Podcast

We’re moving right along here through Joni’s 90s albums. This one might be my favorite of the decade: 1994’s Turbulent Indigo.Thanks for listening — wishing you a happy and healthy start to the holiday season x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the ‘90s era of Joni Mitchell! You may find some relief here from the over-produced sheen that was the ‘80s, but you will find music no less challenging on 1991’s Night Ride Home.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Firstly, a big thank you for your patience these last few weeks. Life has been chaotic, in a word, but here I am with a new episode, Today’s focus is one of my personal favorites…Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

We are just chugging right along here with Joni’s ‘80s albums. Next up: 1985’s Dog Eat Dog.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Many thanks to you all for being patient with me while I took some time off from Big Yellow Pod. I’m hoping to get back into more of a posting routine now that my apartment move is over…Anyway! Let’s talk about 1982’s Wild Things Run Fast.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

As I mention in this episode, it’s possible the world may not have gotten to know Joni Mitchell the way it ultimately did without Judy Collins, who was an early champion of her work in New York’s Greenwich Village and whose covers of “Both Sides, Now,” “Chelsea Morning” and others helped put Joni in a position to continue soaring upwards.For those unfamiliar with the story: It was Judy who once got a call in the middle of the night from Al Kooper, who told her she simply must hear this new singer-songwriter. He put Joni on the phone, who sang “Both Sides, Now,” and Judy immediately recognized the magic.Judy has been a beautiful and inspiring force in the music world for 60 some years and she’s still out there, at 86, delighting audiences with her insight, charm and wisdom. Thrilled to say: here is the next episode of Big Yellow Podcast, featuring Judy Collins.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

It’s amazing how crippling and yet how wondrous social media can be. Without it, I would not have learned about a talented, East Coast indie band called Shallow Alcove. I stumbled upon an Instagram video of members Grace Krichbaum and Dan Harris doing a cover of Joni’s “California.”Grace and Dan were kind enough to come on the show to talk about Joni’s influence on their work, plus the trials and tribulations of being touring musicians in 2025.Coincidentally, Shallow Alcove has a brand new EP out today called Doggy Paddle. You can check that out, as well as show dates and more, via their website.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Cover bands get a bad rap. With the right people, they can be beautiful tributes to music that deserves to live on in local venues or online, made by musicians who care.Big Yellow Taxi, a cover band based in Massachusetts that performs the music of Joni Mitchell, is an excellent example of that. I recently spoke with two of its members, vocalist Teresa Lorenco and multi-instrumentalist Rich Cahillane, about bringing Joni’s music to audiences who might not otherwise get to hear it and how they’ve grown as artists themselves along the way. (You can check out their concert schedule on their website.)Not to mention…this marks the very first LIVE performance on Big Yellow Pod!!! I am overjoyed. Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Terri Thal has spent her life working in the world of not-for-profit and social justice. She also happens to hold the title of being Bob Dylan’s first-ever manager. More on that here…But Terri also crossed paths a number of times in Greenwich Village with Miss Joni Mitchell. And that’s what we talked about here in this episode. (Here’s a link to her book that I mention.)Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

In the late ‘70s, an unlikely couple came together in the form of jazz legend Charles Mingus and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. The result was 1979’s Mingus. Here’s a little look into how it got made.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

A look at Joni’s first double album and ninth release overall, 1977’s Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Last fall, I traveled back to my hometown of Buffalo for the Thanksgiving holiday and what should I be greeted with? A Joni Mitchell tribute concert by Lauren and the Good Souls. Led by Lauren Faggiano, this group has it all — horns, harp, mandolin, etc. — and some great versions of Joni classics, deep cuts and fan favorites. Here’s my conversation with Lauren. You can check out the band’s website here.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

A brief look at Joni’s 1976 album Hejira.For more on this release, check out my interview with Ian Grant of Jokermen fame.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

For those of you into Joni Mitchell books, this is a good moment in time. Here’s an interview I did with Henry Alford, author of the new book I Dream of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots. In involves stories of Prince, potential tours of the Soviet Union and many other incredible anecdotes from Joni’s life.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

It really has been an excellent few years for books about Joni Mitchell. I say keep them coming. In this episode, I chat with writer and educator, Paul Lisicky, author of the new book Song So Wild and Blue: A Life With the Music of Joni Mitchell.Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

You may recognize Ian Grant’s name — he’s co-host of the Jokermen podcast series, which started out being about Bob Dylan and has since evolved into conversations about Lou Reed, Brian Wilson and more. Ian was kind and brave enough to personally volunteer himself to come on Big Yellow Pod to talk about a Joni Mitchell album he said he’d recently gone down a rabbit hole with, 1976’s Hejira. What I did not know before we hopped on Zoom was that Ian’s familiarity with Joni’s music apart from Hejira is limited. This excited me! Contrary to what some may think when they listen to these guest episodes, no one needs to be an expert on Joni to join. This is a show designed for listeners of all fan levels.So here, Ian and I discuss Hejira. Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

A brief overview of Joni Mitchell’s 1975 album ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns.’Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

Joan Wasser, aka Joan as Police Woman, is an all around badass, in my opinion. A real force of talent who has played in bands, made solo records, toured the world and done it all with the kind of can-do attitude that doesn’t always come easily. She’s also a disciple of Joni Mitchell and someone who recognizes the hurdles that seem to have a persistent way of telling women in creative fields: you and your identity as a woman don’t belong here. You’ll learn more about Joan in this episode, in which we chat about that very thing. Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

A look at Joni’s 1974 album Court and Spark…Thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe

It turns out Joni Mitchell’s influence literally runs in the Carlile family.Some of you, I’m sure, are already familiar with Brandi Carlile, the very talented singer-songwriter who befriended Joni in recent years and is one of the living, breathing reasons Joni has returned to performing. Brandi has spoken at length over the years about how much Joni’s life and career has impacted her own — Carlile’s family is from Washington state, not all that far from the Canadian border, and like Joni, Brandi grew up in a rural setting that was never going to be big enough for her dreams. Now, years after being introduced to Joni’s music herself, Brandi is evidently instilling some of that influence into the next generation of her own family. In this episode of Big Yellow Pod, I speak with Caroline and JayJ Carlile, Brandi’s niece and nephew. The two teenagers, along with their dad, record and perform their own original music under the name – you guessed it — the Carlile Family Band. Not to get too sentimental here, but this episode is one of my favorites so far — it’s comforting to see a couple of bright and inquisitive young artists pursue their dreams in spite of it all, as Joni once did and Brandi too. Every so often it lifts the spirits to see that the kids are alright. If you’d like to learn more about the Carlile Family Band, check out their website. They’ve got an EP release show coming up on Jan. 11 for those of you in the Nashville area, and as you’ll hear in this episode: there’s something in it for you if you go.Happy New Year and thanks for listening x* Allison Get full access to Big Yellow Podcast at allisonrapp.substack.com/subscribe