Live At Wolf Trap (2001)

Bio

Few singers have the kind of staying power as folk icon Judy Collins. For nearly 40 illustrious years, her dulcet tones have graced our ears, and her poetic lyrics galvanized a generation. She has released more than 30 albums, has had numerous Top Ten hits, Grammy nominations and gold and platinum selling albums. Fall 2000 kicks off with the birth of Judy Collins' new record label, Wildflower Records. Wildflower Records' flagship release will be Judy Collins Live At Wolf Trap! This live album celebrates Judy's 21st performance at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Ms. Collins' 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, Ms. Collins 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. 2000 marks the 25th Anniversary of Ms. Collins' prize-winning documentary about the conductor, Antonia: A Portrait Of The Woman. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary. Brico, a fine teacher, believed Collins had a major career ahead as a pianist. At 13, Judy made her public debut performing Mozart's "Concerto for Two Pianos". But the music of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, 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 folk clubs in Denver, Boulder and Central City. Heading east, she sang at the Gate of Horn in Chicago, and in New York at 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. In 1995 Judy Collins became a UNICEF Special Representative for the Arts. Driven to action by an unjust war, Judy wrote "Song For Sarajevo." In the capacity of UNICEF's Special Representative for the Arts, Ms. Collins has made several visits to the former Yugoslavia and Vietnam. In May of 1999 Judy participated in the opening ceremonies of the 100th Anniversary of the Hague Peace Conference. 1997 marked the unveiling of the long awaited Judy Collins anthology--Forever: The Judy Collins Anthology. A winding, musical map of Ms. Collins' most treasured hits, as well as rarer nuggets, Forever is the summation of her thirty-five years and nineteen albums with Elektra Records. Poet and songwriter Dick Farina once described this voice of the century as having the sound you would hear, "if amethysts could sing... they would sound like Judy Collins." Forever>/i> beautifully chronicles America's most active social, political and foremost musical decades. Included on the anthology are folk standards and hits such as "Both Sides Now," "Bird on a Wire," and "Masters of War." 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 landmines, Judy has always remained creative and vibrant as an artist.