Born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943, in Fort McCloud, Alberta, singer Joni Mitchell wasn’t into music when she was a child. Her father was involved in the music business so her mom wanted her to follow into his footsteps, but Mitchell felt she was more of an artistic type of person and attended art college.

During that period, she would often visit a coffee shop where they played jazz music. She didn’t like it at first, but as much as she listened to it, the more she fell for music. She described herself as the “rock and roller, teeny-bop go-to-dances-on-Saturday-night-type” and didn’t really enjoy the jazz at first.

One night, one particular band caught her attention and she asked the lead singer to teach her how to play the guitar. He said no, so Mitchell decided to learn it herself.

“I went out and bought myself a ukulele because my mother thought that guitar…she sort of associated guitar music with country and western, which was sort of hillbillyish there,” she recalled.

I bought myself a ukulele and I plunked my way through most of the summer. Then I went off to art college and started playing in a club there with Peter Albling, who was the headliner.”

Soon, she started landing gigs across several cities in Canada and played at folk festivals.