Judy Collins

Judy Collins is an American singer-songwriter and musician who began in folk clubs and became known for an eclectic range of material and the clarity of her voice. She studied classical piano before turning to folk music in Greenwich Village, where she signed with Elektra Records. Her 1961 debut album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, consisted of traditional folk songs. She gained international prominence with Both Sides, Now, written by Joni Mitchell, from Wildflowers (1967); it reached the No. 8 spot on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and brought her a first Grammy, in the Best Folk Performance category. Her biggest success came with Stephen Sondheim's Send in the Clowns from Judith (1975), which earned a Grammy nomination and helped make Judith her best-selling album. She later received a Grammy nomination for Silver Skies Blue with Ari Hest and scored her first American No. 1 album with Winter Stories in 2019. She is also an Academy Award-nominated documentary director.