Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell met during a songwriter’s workshop at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island. Participants included Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, David Blue, Mike Settle, Tom Paxton and Eric Anderson.

According to Judy Collins, who introduced the pair, Mitchell’s ‘That Song About the Midway’ was written about Cohen:

“Joni wrote “That Song About The Midway” about Leonard, or so she says. Sounds right: the festival, the guy, the jewel in the ear.”