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American Routes Shortcuts: Judy Collins

Judy Collins
American Routes

Each week, American Routes brings you Shortcuts, a sneak peek at our upcoming show. This week, we speak with folk singer Judy Collins, who recorded songs by contemporaries in Greenwich Village like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell in the 1960s. She gained an appreciation for traditional Irish folk music from her father who was blind and hosted a radio show.

Judy Collins: My father actually sang the Irish songs and I, yeah I knew them all, I knew Danny Boy, I knew all the rest of the usual suspects in the Irish repertoire of songs, but as far as getting seduced by them I hadn’t until I heard Barbara Allen, which was sung by Jo Stafford.

Nick Spitzer: When you’re doing these folk songs it seems to me that you’re starting to stand for something that’s not classical, that’s not pop, it speaks to some sense of community, culture, and expression. I mean did you have a feeling about that in the early 60s?

JC: I certainly was raised that way. I was raised to be an activist. I was completely ready for the 60s.

NS: You rather famously did some singing at the Chicago Seven trial.

JC: When these guys were arrested, Kunstler, who was their lawyer, said, “Would you come to Chicago and testify on their behalf?” So Judge Hoffman called me to the bench and he said, “What do you have to say? And where were you?” and so forth and I opened my mouth and started singing, “Where have all the flowers gone?” And the clerk came up and put his hand over my mouth and the judge said, “There will be no singing in my court room!”

NS: You start to move on in your recordings to singing contemporary songwriters. This new realm of where people are really, you know, living today and talking about life today in new ways in those songs.

JC: Well I was looking for great songs, and I moved to the Village, and there were great songwriters all around me, throwing a little cassette in front of me or coming in my door as Eric Anderson did and saying, “Here are the lyrics to ‘Thirsty Boots,’ I’ll sing it for you,” and he sang it for me, and I said, “I’ll record that tomorrow.”

NS: I especially love you singing with Willie Nelson. He’s so unconventional in his approach, it’s great. “When I Go.”

JC: “When I Go.” It’s a brilliant song about the passage, and the fact that Willie got it so pleased me. You know he sent me an email the other day, and he said, “Didn’t we sing well together?” Yes. I totally agree.

NS: Well Judy Collins, thanks for visiting with me here on American Routes, and thanks for letting nothing keep you from singing.

JC: Thank you so much. Yes, how can I keep from singing? Thank you.

To hear the full program, tune in Saturdays at 7 and Sundays at 6 on WWNO, or listen at americanroutes.org.