Inductee Joni Mitchell honoured by SOCAN for “Both Sides, Now,” with a tribute from Allison Russell

By Karen Bliss

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Joni Mitchell received her 2025 SOCAN Cultural Impact award for her classic “Both Sides, Now” in Los Angeles recently, as she was unable to attend the Gala in Toronto. Grammy and Juno winner Allison Russell had the honour of paying tribute to the 81-year-old music icon at the actual awards ceremony held on September 29 at Toronto’s Rebel nightclub.

“Both Sides, Now,” from Mitchell’s 1969 album, Clouds, was a big hit for Judy Collins and has been covered countless times since, including by the Frank Sinatra and Dizzy Gillespie, and was inducted into the CSHF in 2007. Last year, she performed the song on the Grammy Awards, joined by an ensemble that included Brandi Carlile and fellow Canadian Allison Russell.

Russell was asked to cover it at the SOCAN Awards and did a beautiful a cappella version during which she accompanied herself on the clarinet.

“Joni Mitchell has inspired generations of artists and songwriters, but only a select few can call her a collaborator, mentor, and even fewer have been personally invited to stand beside her during a remarkable return to distinction,” said SOCAN vice-president, creative and member relations, Cameron Kennedy, Cameron Kennedy, from the podium, introducing the solo performance that quieted the packed and sometimes chatty room for the finale of the three-and-a-half hour awards.

“Tonight, one of those rare individuals joins us to honour Joni’s timeless, classic,” he said, noting she is a “proud member of the Joni Jam,” an invite-only gathering of musicians held at Mitchell’s home, and has performed with her at the Hollywood Bowl, the Gorge, and the Grammy Awards.

In a video montage from the SOCAN House event, Zaib Shaikh, the city’s consul general of Canada, spoke, then SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown, before a clip shows Kennedy bringing the award to Mitchell, who is seated. “It plays, right?” she asks, before giving it a try with a tiny mallet.

SOCAN’s Brown said to Mitchell: “It’s one of those songs that I really think belongs to people.”

Seated outside at the presentation, Mitchell is brought the award, believed to be the world’s first and only music industry trophy that doubles as a musical instrument, its five custom bronze crotales tuned this year with notes from “Both Sides, Now.” She plays it.

After the video, Russell came out, wearing a red beret in homage to Mitchell, lit a candle and picked up a photo of the singer from her 1967 Newport Folk Festival set, and recited a poem she wrote for Mitchell, which included these lines:

“I’ve seen shadows of clouds in the mountains. I’ve seen shadows of clouds in the pines. I’ve seen Joni, our lady return. Sing both sides and laugh and stop time.”

Calling her “Our Lady of Saskatoon,” as well as several other beautiful titles, she said, “When Joni sings, when Joni writes, you cry.”

She then played the clarinet and launched into her version of “Both Sides, Now,” receiving a standing ovation, she did not initially see as she had left the stage. The hosts encouraged her to return.

SOCAN is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Its originator, the Canadian Performing Rights Society (CPRS), formed in 1925, later known as CAPAC, which merged in 1990 with PROCAN to create SOCAN, the performing rights, and now reproduction rights organization that today represents over 200,000 creators and publisher members.