Judy's early musical background was classical piano. Her father, Chuck Collins, was a singer, composer and broadcaster during the golden age of radio. By age 10, Judy was studying with mentor Antonia Brico, the famed orchestral conductor who made a name for herself conducting major symphony orchestras in the United States and Europe. 1999 marked the 25th anniversary of Judy's prize winning documentary about the conductor, ANTONIA: A PORTRAIT OF THE WOMAN. The film, which Judy produced and co-directed with Jil Godmilow, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary, and was named one of the top ten films of the year by Time Magazine.
At 13, Judy made her public debut performing Mozart's "Concerto for Two Pianos." But the music of such artists as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the traditional songs of the folk revival, fired Judy's love of lyrics and, by 16, she had moved from playing the Steinway to playing guitar. Soon she was singing at the folk clubs in Denver, Boulder and Central City in Colorado. Heading East, she sang at the Gate of Horn in Chicago, and in New York at the Greenwich Village folk clubs. It was there, after an appearance at The Village Gate in 1961, that Jac Holzman of Elektra Records signed Judy to what was to become a thirty-five year involvement with the company, beginning with her first three albums of traditional material. As the Sixties grew more rebellious, Judy was drawn to songs by the social poets of the time: Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan. She also worked with some of the best musicians of the era, among them, Jim (Roger) McGuinn, who played guitar on her versions of "Mr.Tambourine Man" and Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn." McGuinn would later on form The Byrds and perform both songs with that group. Judy was the first to record the songs of Leonard Cohen and she brought other performers like Randy Newman and Joni Mitchell to widespread public exposure.
Soon to come were early dramatic moves that established Judy's eclectic nature. Her 1966 album "In My Life" had her stepping assuredly into a broad mixture of songs, a characteristic that has stamped her albums ever since. She also began playing the piano again, bringing her musical roots back into her performance. On her next album "Wildflowers," she asked Joshua Rifkin to arrange the entire album for orchestra, breaking new ground in the contemporary song movement. Today, it's regarded as a turning point in her career, giving Judy her first major single, "Both Sides Now" and earning her the first of many Grammy nominations.
Collins is still paving new ground; her new label, Wildflower Records is her latest achievement. Collins has named the new record company after her 1967 gem, "Wildflowers." The label will release approximately two recordings per year and plans to record with new artists in the future. Wildflower Records is distributed in the US and Canada by Navarre Corporation. In keeping with Judy's life long commitment to social causes and human rights, Wildflower Records will contribute a portion of its proceeds to charity and non-profit organizations.
Judy Collins is truly the definition of a living legend. Her influence in music and politics has spread over decades. Her vocal interpretations have inspired millions. From the time she discovered folk music and was signed to Elektra in 1961, to her current new albums, new songs, television specials, books and work with UNICEF and landmine awareness, Judy has always remained a creative and vibrant artist.
After some work on TV daytime dramas in the early 1960s ("The Doctors" 1963), she made guest appearances on several variety shows, including "The Andy Williams Show"(1969) and "The Muppet Show" (1976). Then she turned to acting in the 1990s, appearing as Hattie McCabe in the aptly titled episode "Amazing Grace" on the 1994 TV series "Christy," in the feature JUNIOR (1994, as Naomi) and in the 1998 made-for-TV movie "A Town Has Tuned to Dust," as Ree. She has been a spokesperson for UNICEF for many years.
Nominated for Documentary (Features) 1974: ANTONIA: A PORTRAIT OF THE WOMAN - Producer (w. Jill Godmilow)
1 nomination