Although there are conflicting reports about Joni Mitchell’s recovery from an illness that started when she was found unconscious in her home on March 31st, Leslie Morris, Joni’s conservator, issued the following statement on June 28th: “Joni did in fact suffer an aneurysm. However, details that have emerged in the past few days are mostly speculative. The truth is that Joni is speaking, and she’s speaking well. She is not walking yet, but she will be in the near future as she is undergoing daily therapies. She is resting comfortably in her own home and she’s getting better each day. A full recovery is expected.”

David Crosby, Joni’s long-time friend, reports: “She took a terrible hit. 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. She’s a tough girl and very smart. So, how much she’s going to come back and when, I don’t know and I’m not going to guess. I love her. She’s probably the best of us – probably the greatest living singer-songwriter.”

You can leave well wishes for Joni at WeLoveYouJoni.com

Jean Ritchie, a folk singer and mountain dulcimer players who revived American folk music in the 1960’s and brought hundreds of traditional songs from Appalachia to a wide audience , died on June 1st at her home in Berea, Ky, at the age of 92.

Ms. Ritchie performed with some of the best-known names in folk music, including Pete Seeger and Doc Watson. She was part of the Newport Folk Festival, and performed at there in 1959 and many times thereafter. She was a fixture on the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene, and became known as the “Mother of Folk.”

Ms. Ritchie’s work was recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress’ Archive of Folk Song.  Her first solo album, “Jean Ritchie Singing the Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family,” was released in 1952.

She was the subject of a documentary film, “Mountain Born: The Jean Ritchie Story,” which was made in 1996 for Kentucky Educational Television.

She published “The Swapping Song Book” (1952), “The Dulcimer Book” (1963) and “Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians.”

Folk Alley has released a new “Session” that features a young duo from Virginia, Anna and ELizabeth. The session includes Applachian ballads and old-time music. To see the videos go to folkalley.com/music/extras/anna-and-elizabeth-2015-folk-alley-session.

Joni Mitchell, the legendary singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist who rose to stardom in the 1960’s, was taken to the hospital on March 31, 2015. Rumor has it that she is alert, but is in intensive care. Joni, now 71, started as a folk musician, experimented with many styles including jazz, pop, and rock, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

John Renborn, a legendary guitarist and founder of the band Pentangle, died of an apparent heart attack at his home in Scotland on March 26, at the age of 70. His brilliant solo guitar playing breathed new life into early English songs and traditional folk music and inspired guitar players from Peter Townsend to Bert Jansch to Stefan Grossman. He leaves behind a rich musical legacy for the enjoyment of those of us still here.

Sad to report that Danny Quinn, an Irish and American folksinger and songwriter died on October 30, 2014 from a cerebral hemorrhage.  May his music live on!