Epic singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell has led a wildly successful career spanning decades. Surprisingly, Joni has never been comfortable in the spotlight. In an interview with Joe Smith, dating back to November, 1986, Mitchell talks about her desire to lead a normal life, even going so far as doing her own grocery shopping.

Rolling Stone magazine reports that PBS is turning the vintage Joni Mitchell interview into an animated series. She is quite candid about the fact that she would rather blend in with the crowd over being the center of attention.

"One time I sat down, we had good tickets on the floor at some rock concert. We moved in, we got there late. The fellow sitting next to me said, 'You can't sit here.' I said, 'Why not? I've got tickets.' 'But you're Joni Mitchell.' I said, 'So?' He said, 'You shouldn't be sitting there. You should be backstage, or you should be up in that box.' He was very annoyed. Some people are upset to see you doing ordinary things."

Ironically, in her desire to do the normal little things in life, Joni Mitchell sets herself apart from the majority of the celebrity world.

"I like to do my own grocery shopping. People do recognize you. They are kind of shocked. Some people like it. It makes them feel at ease. It confirms their hopes that you are in fact similar to them. Some people can't stand it."

It's not that Joni suffers from stage fright or performance anxiety. It comes more from a place of selflessness, of valuing other as much as, or perhaps even more than, oneself. The next words that Joni Mitchell speaks shows just how tender her heart is towards others.

"I never really wanted to be a star. I didn't like entering a room with all eyes on me. I still don't really like the attention of a birthday party. I prefer Christmas, which is everybody's holiday. It's just my nature."

Unfortunately, Joni Mitchell has been suffering from health issues for the past three months. It appears, however, that she is on the road to recovery. David Crosby has spoken out on the effects of Joni's brain aneurysm, reports BBC News.

"She had an aneurysm, and nobody found her for a while. And she's going to have to struggle back from it the way you struggle back from a traumatic brain injury. To my knowledge, she is not speaking yet.

[Joni Mitchell is] a tough girl and very smart. I love her. She's probably the best of us - probably the greatest living singer-songwriter."