MUSIC

Q&A with Judy Collins

Singer Judy Collins chats with the Ithaca Times ahead of her show in Homer.

By Bryan VanCampen

Singer-songwriter Judy Collins is in her seventh decade in the music business. Her hit songs include Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” and the traditional “Amazing Grace.” Judy Collins will perform a concert on June 22 at the Center for the Arts in Homer (72 South Main St.). For more info, visit https://center4art.org/concerts-events-calendar/.

Judy Collins spoke to the Ithaca Times about e Muppets, e Weavers and her vocal regimen.

Ithaca Times: I rst heard of you because of the Muppets.

Judy Collins: Oh, because of the Muppets, of course!

IT: You knew Jim Henson, what was he like?

JC: I did, I adored him, he was wonderful. He lived in New York at that point, and he had started the Muppets, and it was early, mid-’60s I guess. His producers [including] Jon Stone called me up and said, “Would you be on the Muppets [“Sesame Street”]?” And in the next couple of years, I think I might have been…I had 16 separate pieces on “Sesame Street.” And then Jim called me and invited me to come to London to be on “ e Muppet Show” there. You know, he couldn’t sell the show to the United States television industry. And so the person that bought the show in London was Lord Lew Grade. And [Jim] said, “I’ve got to do it in England, will you come?” And I said, “Well, of course I’ll come. Of course I will. It’s you, why wouldn’t I come?” [laughs] So that was what I did, I went to England and did the show. I adored him. It was a tragedy that he died so young.

IT: I understand that they took good care of you during your time on “ e Muppet Show.”

JC: [laughs] Oh, yes! Well, they set o a little bomb at the end of the show [laughs] and it scared me half out of my mind, but otherwise, it was perfect.

IT: A lot of people on Facebook are curious how you keep your voice in shape.

JC: Well, rst of all, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I eat well. I don’t do any of the things that would cause me to lose my voice, and I practice pretty much every day. I’m also very lucky. I’m very healthy. I’ve had a couple of bumps in my career with my voice, but I’ve been lucky. I had a little surgery on it in ’77, but they were able to take care of the problem of my vocal cords. I’ve been lucky, with my health and also with my surgeon, and with my teacher. So all I can say is, thank God! [laughs] ank God.

IT: What’s in your songbook these days? What are you playing?

JC: Well, of course, some of the hits, but also some of the new songs from my latest album “Spellbound.” at’s always great, to be able to sing new songs, as well as interweaving them with “Both Sides Now” and “Send in the Clowns” and “Amazing Grace.” You know, it’s good to have a lot in your pocket.

IT: When you were starting out, you had to make a tough choice between piano and guitar.

JC: Well, I’m a pianist by training, and was a classical pianist. I found folk music in 1954. e rst folk song I heard on the radio was “ e Gypsy Rover,” and it really changed my life. I went down to the music company and I bought the record, and I played it and just fell in love with it. I wasn’t gonna play Rachmanino anymore, I was gonna play folk music, and that’s what did it.

IT: People think of the folk boom as a ‘60s thing, but it started earlier than that.

JC: Well, it started…you have to remember that Pete’s Seeger’s quartet had a big hit in 1950 with “Goodnight Irene.”

IT: e Weavers.

JC: e Weavers. ey had a huge hit. In fact, it was so popular that the company that made Dove soap called their

Judy Collins is performing in Homer on June 22. (Photo: Provided)

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