Singer Joni Mitchell unable to care for herself, friend says

LOS ANGELES -- Joni Mitchell is unconscious and the singer-songwriter is unable to make medical decisions for herself, a longtime friend stated Tuesday in a court filing.

Leslie Morris, who is identified as a friend of Mitchell's for more than 44 years, filed a petition Tuesday to be named conservator for the Grammy-winning singer.

Morris is not seeking control of Mitchell's estate. She is seeking the appointment because Mitchell does not have any family who can serve as her conservator. The filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.

Mitchell was hospitalized March 31 after being found unconscious in her Los Angeles home.

A statement posted on her website Tuesday evening said:

"Contrary to rumors circulating on the Internet today, Joni is not in a coma. Joni is still in the hospital - but she comprehends, she's alert, and she has her full senses. A full recovery is expected. The document obtained by a certain media outlet simply gives her longtime friend Leslie Morris the authority - in the absence of 24-hour doctor care - to make care decisions for Joni once she leaves the hospital. As we all know, Joni is a strong-willed woman and is nowhere near giving up the fight. Please continue to keep Joni in your thoughts."

Phone messages for Morris and her attorney, Alan Watenmaker, were not immediately returned.

Mitchell has received eight Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 2002. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

She started her career as a street musician in her native Canada before moving to Southern California, where she became part of the flourishing folk scene in the late 1960s. Her second album, "Clouds," was a breakthrough with such songs as "Both Sides Now" and "Chelsea Morning," winning Mitchell the Grammy for best folk performance.

Her 1970 album, "Ladies of the Canyon," featured the hit single "Big Yellow Taxi" and the era-defining "Woodstock." The following year, she released "Blue," which ranks 30th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time."

Her musical style integrates folk and jazz elements, and she counts jazz giants Charles Mingus and Pat Metheny among her past collaborators.