When Judy Collins takes the stage her crystal-clear voice soars and weaves through the music the way it has over 55 years of gifted performances.
This vocal agility is no accident. “Though I’ve had a lot of good luck, I’ve had a lot of terrific training,” Collins explains.
“I’ve learned to use [my voice] and I’ve learned to take care of it, and that’s truly what you have to do. So you don’t scream, you don’t smoke, you don’t drink, you don’t stay up late—you have to take care of it.”
As part of her current tour, Collins will perform in five Canadian cities starting June 4.
Canadian Connection
The singer-songwriter has a special connection with Canada. Her paternal grandmother moved from England to the U.S. via Canada in the 1840s. “There’s something about the Canadians,” she says. “Now I have Canadian blood so to speak. It’s English-Irish, but there were Canadian immigrants on my father’s side.”
Then there’s her association with Canadian songwriters. Collins’s signature hit “Both Sides Now” was penned by Joni Mitchell and won a Grammy for Best Folk Performance in 1969. It is now a Grammy Hall of Famer. She has recorded other Mitchell songs like “Someday Soon” and “Chelsea Morning.”
She also put Leonard Cohen on stage for his first public appearance as a singer. Before that he was an author and poet but not a performer. Due to her persuasion and encouragement, Cohen became a world-renowned composer and singer.
Cohen in turn encouraged Collins to write her own songs, and her lyrics touched audiences with their honesty.
“Leonard got me to start writing my own songs so I owe a lot to the Canadians—not only wonderful material that I’ve learned and sung over 55 years, but also a very deep and profound effect on my own writing,” she says.
