The photo of Mama Cass, Joni, Judy Collins and Joan Baez was taken by me: Richard Dowdy. Visit my site.

A treasured memory, I was 16 and picked my way through the crowd that was held in an aura of magical bliss to be in Big Sur in this surging epoch that was to become the 60's.. As I moved to the back of the stage, as I recall ; )-- there was a narrow ledge where I sat facing the ocean, while Joni was seated at the piano singing Woodstock. A coming of age, under the glorious musicality of Joni Mitchell.

I drove up to Big Sur with Joni and she was kind enough to call me up to sing a few songs on the second day...It was the first time I heard her play Woodstock. Alone with the sun setting over the pacific she sat at a piano on the lawn of the Esalin Institute and blew my mind...

This was the first time I had seen or heard Joni sing. Her voice was fabulous. I remember sitting with friends on the lawn at Esalen on a beautiful day where Joan Baez's sister Mimi had gotten married. There was a grand piano by the pool where lots of amazing music and performers were playing, BUT when Joni sang Cactus Tree we ALL got the " shivers". Her voice just resounded off the coastal mountains out the to sea. Her lyrics moved us all.Everyone was talking about how amazing she sounded. To this day every time I describe that serendipitous experience of ending up at Esalen and listening to Joni sing on that day people tell me they get the chills just hearing about it. Thank you Joni for all your music, lyrics and art. You have made life on planet earth a better place now and forever.