Neil Young names the “greatest artist” of his generation
Neil Young was at the forefront of a musical revolution upon moving from Canada to Los Angeles, which allowed him a platform to demonstrate his brilliance to the world. Young was part of a wider scene that helped change rock and folk music, but he believes one peer was the most talented pack by a distance.
Fate brought Young to meet Stephen Stills, who passed by Winnipeg in 1965. Despite not having any contact details, Young successfully tracked him down upon moving to the United States, leading to the birth of Buffalo Springfield.
Together, they created music history with Buffalo Springfield and later reconvened to do so again with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. The latter were an essential part of the Laurel Canyon set, which punched above its weight for a small area in California.
In addition to being home to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, other vital figures from the counterculture movement based in Laurel Canyon included Frank Zappa, The Byrds, the Mamas and Papas, The Doors, and Carole King.
However, in Young’s eyes, none were more talented than local resident Joni Mitchell, who he believes to be the voice of his generation. Notably, the Canadians met on the folk scene in Winnipeg in the swinging ’60s. They became two of their era’s defining voices, creating music catalogues that remain relevant many decades later.
Furthermore, they have also acted as inspiration to one another. Famously, Mitchell wrote ‘The Circle Game’ about Young, which she introduced on-stage in 1968 by saying: “This is a song that’s been recorded by a couple of friends of mine, so maybe you know it a little better than the other ones. And if you do – if you know the chorus, wow – just sing along, cause it’s a chorus about people and growing old and growing young and carousels and painted ponies and the weather and the Buffalo Springfield.”
Young returned the favour in 1973 when he paid tribute to his fellow Canadian on ‘Sweet Joni‘. On the track, he lovingly sings: “Sweet Joni from Saskatoon, There’s a ring for your finger, It shines like the sun, But it feels like the moon.”
After their first meeting as youngsters, the musicians took different routes to the top before they found stardom, but the starting point remained the same. Due to the commonalities in their story, there has always been intrigue surrounding their friendship, which has survived the test of time.
In an appearance on the YouTube talk show, The Zach Sang Show, Young looked back upon their first encounter. “I was 20, and she was about 22, or maybe one year older than me. I think we were in Winnipeg at the 4th Dimension Club,” the legendary singer-songwriter remembered.
When Sang pressed Young about their initial conversation, Young instantly recalled, “I was listening to her. I was local in Winnipeg, and she was just passing through on the road with her husband, Chuck. They were a duo playing, and we talked a little bit. I got to know her and played her ‘Sugar Mountain’. I told her I’d just been in Toronto and played that for a group called The Dirty Shames.”
Young then explained how The Dirty Shames reacted positively to the song, which they told him “would be around for a while.” The singer-songwriter proudly passed this feedback to Joni, which proved to be an accurate prediction. He continued: “She wrote ‘The Circle Game’ after hearing ‘Sugar Mountain’ because it got to her. She felt it too, and she felt it in her own unique way.”
Young also revealed the pair are still in contact, and he only recently spoke to her a few days before the interview in 2022. He concluded by saying, “I love Joni. She’s wonderful. She’s one of the greatest artists of our generation. She may be the greatest artist of our generation.”
Around the time of these comments above, Mitchell also showed solidarity with Young by removing her music from Spotify after he started a boycott. Young was incensed by the misinformation spread on the platform, and Mitchell proudly followed him as he bolted out the door. Although both their libraries are now back on Spotify, Mitchell’s decision showed her enormous respect for Young as both an artist and a person.
