> All of which makes me wonder and put forth to the list this question: > > what makes a musician/artist "successful"?? Is Joni "successful" in > your opinion? > > i welcome your thoughts. > > Mags
Good question, dearest Mags! I would say definitely yes, Joni is a successful musician/artist. For one, even though she may not have sold as many albums as Michael Jackson or even JT, she still has been able to make her living from her music. To most artists I think that alone would qualify her as a successful artist. I know a couple that I went to college with. We were all in theatre, all wanted to become actors. This couple went on to graduate school and then got jobs in Ashland Oregon for several years at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They eventually moved to Seattle and as far as I know have been earning their living in the theatre ever since. You would not know these people (even though Jeanne has appeared on Broadway and television and was nominated for a Tony award several years ago) but I count them as successful because they are acting - not waiting tables or working behind a desk - and making a reasonably good living at it. Another reason I think Joni should be counted a success is that, even though she hasn't had but a handful of bona fide hits, she has managed to stay in the game, putting out an album ever few years on a regular basis all through her recording career. And on major record labels to boot. Joni also has earned the respect of many of her peers. Musicians almost unanimously revere her as one of the greatest and most influential of our time. That certainly makes her successful in my book. Finally, I think Joni is a huge success because she has never let her work become stagnant. She continues to challenge herself and her audience. Which is also part of the reason why she is not a top-selling singer/songwriter. My theory about Joni's career is that she came on the scene at a time that was ripe for her to make an impression. Artists like Judy Collins and Joan Baez and Bob Dylan had already become major stars of the folk/rock/singer/songwriter genre. Social unrest in the US brought a certain new edge and intelligence to popular music. Joni was bound to get some attention for being so unique and producing such fresh and creative music. Plus there was the fact that people like Judy Collins were covering her songs. As she developed, interest in her grew. By the time she made 'Court and Spark', her development had almost completely dove-tailed with the popular tastes of the day. The three hit songs off of that one album, although not her first were probably her last. Joni may have tapped into the tastes of the mainstream but since that was never her goal to begin with, she didn't stay there. She kept going on her own solitary path (see 'Judgment of the Moon & Stars'). So people eventually lost interest in her. For whatever reason, people like James Taylor still hold the public's attention. But Joni's music being the complex, challenging and evolving stuff that it is is not what people seem to be looking for anymore. Mark E. in Seattle (who got promoted recently and is starting a new job) Now what...what...(I don't know can you tell me what?) What is success Is it doing your own thing Or to join the rest? Or do you truly believe In trying over and over again? Living in hopes That some day you'll be in with the winners - Allen Toussaint (thinking of Bonnie Raitt's version here) or Got to be a winner trophy winner got to hold your head up high Number One Number One Honey tell me when your working day is done Were you reaching for the high rung? Reaching to be number one? -guess who?
