WTTW Channel 11 - Sounds of Summer - "Joni Mitchell - Get Together" (1969)

In this spirit of healing the divisions of this country in these contentious times, we bring you this video. :-)

Here is another FuzzyMemoriesTV Exclusive! - a segment from a long-thought-lost concert that was videotaped by NET (National Educational Television, the predecessor to PBS) at Southern Illinois University (SIU) and shown locally in Chicago on WTTW Channel 11 in an installment of a program called "The Sounds Of Summer – Mississippi River Festival".

In this clip, Joni Mitchell performs a beautifully earnest rendition of "Get Together" on her acoustic guitar, while encouraging the audience to join in. (Music Aside: "Get Together" was written by Chet Powers (aka Dino Valenti) and popularized by the group The Youngbloods).

Prior to our discovery, an audio-only copy was the only thing known to exist from this concert, as heard at this link cued up to the same song.

Chicago Tribune TV Listings described the special as follows: "Steve Allen is host as Folksingers Arlo Guthrie and Joni Mitchell are featured in a dual concert performance at the recent Mississippi River festival on the campus of Southern Illinois university in Edwardsville." (Thanks to Chris Tufts for the scheduling sleuthing)

The Sounds of Summer program was "a series of cultural events showcased every week" on NET stations that ran from Sunday, June 1st 1969 to Sunday, September 28th 1969.

As this article from the Edwardsville Intelligencer notes, the concert actually took place and was videotaped Live on Monday, July 7th 1969. (the concert started at 8:30pm) - although not broadcast until Sunday, August 3rd (as noted below).

(Note: Some websites/CD Releases have erroneous information that the Sounds of Summer program featured Joni Mitchell performing at the Newport Folk Festival. This is incorrect - the Sounds of Summer program that aired on 8/3/69 contained performances taped at the Mississippi River Festival)

My thanks to Henry Ruh, former engineer at NET, who saved this and a few other clips on a couple of old Umatic tapes that were transferred from the original Quad 2" reel, which has long since been recycled.

"Sing it like it could save the world...or at least the Country."

This aired on local Chicago TV on Sunday, August 3rd 1969 during the 7:00pm to 9:00pm timeframe.

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