Since then, some mutual friends of ours, the country singer Brandi Carlile and her wife Catherine, had started visiting her every week, bringing other musicians along and encouraging Joni to sing with them, everyone from Herbie Hancock to Chaka Khan. Joni had a lot of gruelling physiotherapy as well, but I couldn’t help thinking that Brandi’s visits were part of her recovery: they reconnected her with something she loved, something she was incredibly gifted at.
