Spotlighting Joni

Robert Hilburn’s interview with Joni Mitchell spoke such profound truths about the current state of popular music (“All She Needs Is Love Songs,” Feb. 6). Her comments that “music is being made by committees” and “the divinity that it once contained is gone” are so sadly true.

Mitchell’s music still holds a touch of real artistry. Would that more of the current crop of pop artists shared that belief in art over committee.

JOHN F. GIBBS

San Diego

*

Joni Mitchell, whom I admire immensely, brought me up short with her reference to “the Sinatra song” “I Wish I Were in Love Again.” I suppose you could call “One for My Baby” a “Sinatra song,” with apologies to Arlen and Mercer. But “I Wish I Were in Love Again”? Written when Sinatra was only 22 and three years shy of joining Dorsey? Surely Rodgers and Hart deserve better than that.

When you next speak to Joni, would you please (gently) reprimand her? As one of our premier songwriters, she should know better.

P.S. You might ask her if she minds it when someone refers to “Judy Collins’ ‘Both Sides Now.’ ”

J.B. WHITE

Ojai