Judy Collins

Judy Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards singer.

Biography

As a child Collins studied classical piano, making her first public debut at age 13 performing Mozart's Concerto for Two Pianos.

Related Topics:
Piano - Mozart

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However, it was the music of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the traditional songs of the folk revival of the early 1960s, that piqued Collins' interest and awoke in her a love of lyrics. Three years after her debut as a piano prodigy, she was playing guitar. She eventually made her way to Greenwich Village, New York City, where she played in clubs until she signed with Elektra Records, a record label with which she has been associated for 35 years. In 1961, Collins released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, at the age of 22.

Related Topics:
Woody Guthrie - Pete Seeger - Folk - 1960s - Guitar - Greenwich Village - New York City - Elektra Records - 1961 - A Maid of Constant Sorrow

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At first she sang traditional folk songs, or songs written by others, in particular the social poets of the time, such as Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, and Bob Dylan. She recorded her own versions of seminal songs of the period, such as Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Pete Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn". Collins was also instrumental in bringing then little known composers to a wider public; for example, she recorded songs by Canadian poet Leonard Cohen, and Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Related Topics:
Tom Paxton - Phil Ochs - Bob Dylan - Pete Seeger - Turn, Turn, Turn - Canadian - Poet - Leonard Cohen - Joni Mitchell

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With her 1967 album Wildflowers, she began to record her own compositions, the first of which was entitled "Since You've Asked". This album also provided Collins with a major hit, and a Grammy award, with her version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now", which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Related Topics:
1967 - Wildflowers - Grammy award - Billboard Hot 100

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1968's Who Knows Where the Time Goes was produced by Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills & Nash), with whom Collins was romantically involved at the time (she is the "Judy" of the Stills-written CSN classic ""). It had a mellow country sound, and included Ian Tyson's "Someday Soon".

Related Topics:
1968 - Who Knows Where the Time Goes - Stephen Stills - Crosby, Stills & Nash - Ian Tyson - Someday Soon

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By the 1970s, Collins had a solid reputation as an art song singer and folksinger. She had also begun to stand out with her own compositions. She was also known for her broad range of material: her songs from this period include the traditional gospel song "Amazing Grace", the Stephen Sondheim Broadway ballad "Send in the Clowns" (both of which were top 20 hits as singles), and her own compositions such as "My Father" and "Born to the Breed".

Related Topics:
1970s - Amazing Grace - Stephen Sondheim - Send in the Clowns

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