Kelly Dale Anderson: Inside The Life Of Joni Mitchell's Daughter

Kelly Dale Anderson is the daughter of Canadian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter Joni Mitchell born Roberta Joan Anderson. Kelly’s mother Joni has established herself as one of the most prolific and influential musicians of her generation. She has inspired several artists with her songwriting and musical style. Her work has influenced artists, including Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, and Ellie Goulding, among others.

Kelly Dale Anderson: Bio Summary

NameKelly Dale Anderson
Age58 years old as of 2023
Date of birthFebruary 19, 1965
Place of birthToronto, Ontario
Famous asdaughter of Joni Mitchell
NationalityCanadian
Children2
ParentsJoni Mitchell and Brad MacMath
GrandparentsMyrtle Anderson and Bill Anderson

Who Is Joni Mitchell’s Daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson?

Kelly Dale Anderson is the only child of Joni Mitchell. Kelly was born on February 19, 1965. As of 2023, she is 58 years old. Her mother Joni was in her twenties when she gave birth to her. In 1964, her mother found out that she was pregnant with her ex-boyfriend Brad MacMath. Kelly’s father Brad left her mother Joni and their then-unborn child.

Kelly’s mother Joni Mitchell revealed that Brad MacMath left her at the time she was “three months pregnant in an attic room with no money and winter coming on and only a fireplace for heat. The spindles of the banister were gap-toothed—fuel for last winter’s occupants.” After Kelly was born, her mother placed her for adoption.

At the time, Kelly’s mother was unable to provide for herself and Kelly, which is why she chose to place Kelly for adoption. Kelly was adopted by David Gibbs and Ida Gibbs and she was renamed Kilauren Gibb. Her adoptive parents worked as teachers and lived in the suburb of Don Mills in Toronto, Canada. They had a son David Jr.

Kelly Dale Anderson grew up as Kilauren Gibb with her adoptive parents. Meanwhile, her biological mother Joni Mitchell kept her birth a secret for years. Even Kelly’s maternal grandparents Myrtle Marguerite (née McKee) and William Andrew Anderson were reportedly unaware of her birth. Kelly’s existence was not publicly known for several years.

Speaking of why she placed Kelly for adoption Joni said in an interview: “At the time I was destitute and there was no way I could take her out of the hospital and into a blizzard, with no job, no roof over my head. There was no way I could take her and there weren’t even foster homes available at that time, because there was such a glut of unwed children.”

ALSO, READ: Myrtle Anderson: What Happened To Joni Mitchell’s Mother?

Joni also revealed in a 1997 interview: “I conceived in art college at the age of 20, near the end of term. The main thing at the time was to conceal it. The scandal was so intense. A daughter could do nothing more disgraceful. It ruined you in a social sense. You have no idea what the stigma was. It was like you murdered somebody.”

However, in 1993 a roommate from Kelly’s mother’s art school days sold the story of the adoption to a tabloid magazine. Around that time, Kelly had already started trying to figure out who her biological parents were. Kelly and her biological mother Joni Mitchell met in the year 1997. The mother and daughter reunited.

“I’ve had pain and joy in my life but nothing like this,” Joni Mitchell said at the time of the reunion. “It’s an unparalleled emotional feeling.” Kelly also said: “It was wonderful. It was a great relief to me in every way. It made me feel whole. It made me feel complete. I don’t have any expectations. I didn’t come into this thing with expectations. I just wanted to find my mom.”

Kelly/ Kilauren was a single mother to her son Marlin at the time. She was struggling on her own and her relationship with her adoptive parents was strained. Kelly got to know she was adopted at age 27, sources say. She reportedly felt comfortable calling Joni Mitchell “mother” after a long time. Kelly is said to have started modeling when she was a teenager.

Kelly Dale Anderson was featured on the cover of Chatelaine magazine in November 1983 and studied at Harvard University in Boston and the University of Toronto, per Nedhardy. She grew up attending private schools and dining in country clubs. She was married to Paul Kohler, a Toronto-based talent agent, in 1992. They got married after a two-year courtship.

They welcomed a son before separating in mid-1995. Kelly got into a relationship with Edward Barrington. The two reportedly had an “on and off” relationship. Kelly became pregnant and gave birth to a girl. Kelly was not in the spotlight until it surfaced that she was the daughter of Joni Mitchell.

ALSO, READ: Bill Anderson: Where Is Joni Mitchell’s Father Now?

Where Is Joni Mitchell’s Daughter Now?

Kelly Dale Anderson is living her life with her two children Marlin and Daisy. She appears to be a painter. She was a featured artist at the Station Coffee House and Gallery’s inaugural Roots N’ Rails art and music festival, in 2010. Her work was exhibited at the Station Gallery: she painted Northern Canadian landscapes. Kelly Dale Anderson and her mother Joni Mitchell have a good relationship. On her 50th birthday, in 2015, she celebrated at her mother Joni’s home in Bel Air.

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