Joni Mitchell has been a trailblazer in the music world since the 1960s, captivating audiences with her distinctive songs and heartfelt lyrics. The Canadian-American icon’s track “Little Green” is a poignant reflection of her personal life, inspired by the daughter she kept secret for over twenty years. But who is Joni Mitchell’s daughter?
Joni’s career is filled with accolades, including 11 Grammy Awards, showcasing her immense talent and influence. Yet, behind the scenes, she faced the painful reality of being separated from her daughter, whom she gave up for adoption. What drove this celebrated artist to make such a difficult choice? Explore the touching and complex story of Joni Mitchell’s experience as a mother.
Mitchell welcomed her daughter into the world in 1965
On February 19, 1965, Joni Mitchell gave birth to her daughter, who was then named Kelly Dale Anderson, in a Toronto hospital. Due to complications during the birth, Mitchell remained in the hospital for 10 days, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
In an effort to provide a stable home for her baby, Mitchell entered into what she described as a “marriage of convenience” with fellow folk singer Chuck Mitchell. She later explained to the Los Angeles Times, “One month into the marriage, he chickened out, I chickened out. The marriage had no basis, except to provide a home for the baby.” After the marriage ended in divorce, Mitchell made the heart-wrenching decision to place her daughter for adoption.
Reflecting on her decision, Mitchell shared, “I gambled. I took what was behind the curtains. I gambled that the people who came forward to take this child wanted this child and felt like there was a hole in their life without this child.”
Gibb was adopted when she was eight months old
When Gibb was eight months old, she was adopted by David and Ida Gibb, a couple from Toronto who both worked as teachers. They already had a son named David. Upon adopting her, they changed her name from Kelly Dale to Kilauren Gibb and kept her adoption a secret for many years.
What became of Joni Mitchell’s daughter?
After Joni Mitchell informed her then-boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, Brad MacMath, of her pregnancy, he left for California, not ready to be a father. Unable to support her daughter, Mitchell placed her for adoption when she was six months old. Her adoptive parents, David and Ida Gibb, renamed her Kilauren Gibb. In an April 1997 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mitchell explained why she felt adoption was her only option, saying:
Does Joni Mitchell have a relationship with her daughter?
The existence of Joni Mitchell’s child remained a secret until 1993, when her former roommate sold the adoption story to a tabloid, according to Distractify. In a 1996 interview with The New York Times, Mitchell expressed her desire to find her long-lost daughter, saying, “The good news is that I am clean now and have no skeletons. But I worry because I would want my daughter to meet her grandparents while they are still alive.”
A year later, thanks to a fan named Wally Breese, who created a website dedicated to Joni, the two were able to reunite. As reported by AmoMama, the Woodstock star described the overwhelming joy of meeting her daughter after more than twenty years, stating, “I have experienced joy and pain, but nothing like this. It is an unparalleled emotional feeling.” Since their reunion, Joni Mitchell and Kilauren Gibb have chosen to keep their relationship largely private.
Gibb began searching for her birth parents during her teenage years
In a 1997 interview with The Toronto Star, Gibb reflected on her early years, recalling how she began to sense something missing from her childhood. “As I looked through our family photo album, I noticed there were no pictures of me before I was 8 months old,” she shared. “My mother tried to explain it away – saying second children don’t get as many photos taken, or the camera wasn’t around. But I always wondered.”
Despite these uncertainties, Gibb emphasized feeling deeply loved by her parents, who believed they were acting in her best interest by keeping her adoption a secret. “They were nurturing, loving parents who wanted to protect me,” she explained. “They chose not to tell me to prevent me from feeling like an outsider and out of fear of losing me.”
Musical career
Besides their early careers in modeling and their mutual passions for music and art, Joni Mitchell and Gibb discovered they had much more in common. Speaking to The New York Times in 1998, they revealed their shared tastes in fashion, particularly clothes and handbags, and Joni noted their shared “crazy bravado that comes from the Irish blood.”
Joni Mitchell’s Musical Tribute to Her Daughter
So you sign all the papers in the family name,” Mitchell sang. “You’re sad and you’re sorry, but you’re not ashamed.”
In 2000, Mitchell told PEOPLE she wrote the track “as a message in a bottle [to Gibb].” Once she reunited with Gibb, the singer recalled her daughter telling her, “God, it’s so cryptic, Joan. I never would have known it was for me.”
Gibb’s Journey to Find Her Birth Parents Began in Her Teenage Years”
n a 1997 interview with The Toronto Star, Gibb reflected on her childhood realization that something was missing. “As I looked through our family photo album, I noticed there were no pictures of me before I was 8 months old,” she shared. “My mother tried to explain it away – saying second children don’t get as many photos taken, or the camera wasn’t around. But I always wondered.”
Despite these feelings, Gibb emphasized how deeply loved she felt by her parents, who believed they were acting in her best interest by keeping her adoption a secret. “They were nurturing, loving parents who wanted to protect me,” she explained. “They chose not to tell me to prevent me from feeling like an outsider and because they were afraid they might lose me.”
Gibb Found a Sense of Wholeness After Reconnecting with Mitchell
During their first meeting, Mitchell expressed regret for what had transpired. “She wanted to get it off her chest, how sorry she was that she gave me up,” Gibb recalled. “She was struggling financially at the time — she couldn’t even afford to join the musician’s union. She couldn’t confide in her parents about having a baby — she was raised in a very traditional household.”
Despite the challenges, Gibb expressed gratitude for her upbringing. “She asked me about my childhood, and I could honestly tell her it was wonderful,” she said. “I had a fantastic upbringing, probably the best. Looking back now, I realize I could have grown up in California, living a more privileged life. But I’m truly grateful that I was raised by my loving family, in a grounded and down-to-earth environment. I will always cherish that.”
Gibb Met Her Biological Father Following Her Reunion with Mitchell
Following her reunion with Mitchell, Gibb met her biological father, Toronto photographer Brad MacMath. Mitchell told PEOPLE in 2000, “He has a daughter by one marriage and a son by another. We all go out together as a dysfunctional family.”
MacMath later told TIME that it was a reunion he had long been hoping for. “I was always sort of looking for her on the street, even though I didn’t know it,” he said. “To have a grown daughter and grandson appear out of nowhere is absolutely amazing.”
Does Joni Mitchell Know Her Daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson?
The revelation of Joni’s child remained a closely guarded secret until 1993, when her former roommate revealed the adoption story to a tabloid magazine, as reported by Distractify. In a candid 1996 interview with The New York Times, Mitchell publicly expressed her longing to reconnect with her long-lost child. “I’ve turned my life around and have no more secrets,” she stated. “But I worry because I want my daughter to meet her grandparents while they’re still here.”
A breakthrough came when one of Joni’s devoted fans, Wally Breese, set up a website that facilitated their reunion a year later. According to AmoMama, the iconic Woodstock performer shared the profound joy of meeting her child after more than two decades apart, saying, “I’ve experienced happiness and sorrow, but this is something else entirely. It’s an indescribable emotional journey.”
Since reuniting, Joni Mitchell and Kilauren Gibb have chosen to keep their relationship mostly private, away from the public eye.
Joni Mitchell and Kilauren Gibb Reconnect Thanks to a Dedicated Fan
A devoted fan, Wally Breese, played a crucial role in bringing Joni Mitchell and Kilauren Gibb back together after Mitchell expressed her desire to reconnect with her daughter in a 1996 interview with The New York Times. Mitchell shared, “I’m in a better place now, with no secrets, but I worry about what she should know – her genetic history, health risks. It would mean a lot if she could meet her grandparents while they’re still here.”
In response, Breese took action and created a website to sift through the flood of inquiries, aiming to find genuine connections amidst many claims. His efforts paid off remarkably.
A friend browsing the site noticed similarities between Gibb’s appearance and details from Mitchell’s story, prompting a closer investigation. “The more I read, the more I realized how much we had in common,” Gibb recounted to The Toronto Star in 1997. “She was a musician, I loved music. She was an artist, I painted. Our interests aligned perfectly.” These connections were compelling enough for Breese to refer Gibb to Mitchell’s manager, eventually leading to their reunion.
Reflecting on his role, Breese told Wired in 1997, “My goal was always to repay Joni for the music she gave the world. But this outcome exceeds anything I imagined.”
Who is Joni Mitchell’s Current Partner?
Roberta has been through two marriages in the past: first to Chuck Mitchell from 1965 to 1967, and later to Larry Klein from 1982 to 1994. Kilauren Gibb, Joni Mitchell’s daughter, only learned about her mother’s identity when she turned 27. Mitchell made the tough decision to place her for adoption six months after her birth due to financial challenges. Their reunion nearly three decades later led to a renewed relationship that seems to be strong and close to this day.
Summary of Joni Mitchell and Kilauren Gibb’s Relationship
The well-liked singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, who is best known for hits like “Big Yellow Taxi,” has a very intimate tale that is entwined with motherhood. At the age of 21, Mitchell gave birth to a daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson, back in 1965. Due to financial difficulties and social pressures, she decided to give up her daughter for adoption, which was a very tough choice. This decision was kept under wraps until 1993, at which point it was made public.
With the aid of a devoted admirer, Mitchell and her daughter—whom her adoptive parents affectionately dubbed Kilauren Gibb—were happily reunited more than twenty years later. Both Mitchell and Gibb experienced great fulfilment from their heartfelt reunion, which opened a really touching new chapter in their lives.
Final Wordsoni Mitchell: A Mother’s Journey Through Music and Motherhood”Final Words
In the enduring legacy of Joni Mitchell, the celebrated singer-songwriter whose music has touched generations, her journey through motherhood stands as a poignant testament. From the bittersweet decision to place her daughter for adoption to the heartfelt reunion with Kilauren Gibb decades later, Mitchell’s story is a testament to love, resilience, and the profound bond that transcends time. As she continues to inspire with her music and unwavering spirit, Mitchell’s personal odyssey with motherhood remains a deeply moving chapter in the tapestry of her extraordinary life.”
These final words encapsulate the emotional and impactful nature of Joni Mitchell’s journey with motherhood and her reunion with her daughter, Kilauren Gibb.
