Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills, Mimi Farina

Retrospective appraisals of Mitchell's work have labeled her the "female Bob Dylan," but Mitchell has sometimes objected to the way her legacy is described by critics, singling out in particular the "female Bob Dylan" moniker: "Being female creates a new category in some people's minds. No one would say that Dylan is the 'male Joni Mitchell.'"

Mitchell is also an accomplished visual artist. She has, through photography or painting, created the artwork for each of her albums and has described herself as a "painter derailed by circumstance." A blunt critic of the music industry, Mitchell had stopped recording over the last several years, focusing mainly on her visual art, but in October 2006 she announced that she is working on material for a new album.