Judy Collins to Return to Cafe Carlyle for Series of Shows, 10/15-26

Judy Collins' unique artistry has captivated audiences for over fifty years and landed her a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Stephen Holden of The New York Times has praised her for evoking "the kind of ethereal, far-sighted reflection that is her special artistic territory." Café Carlyle welcomes back the legendary singer-songwriter for a two-week solo engagement, October 15 - October 26.

An Evening with Judy Collins will run Tuesday - Saturday at 8:45pm. Tickets are $110 ($160 for premium seating, $65 for bar seating) Tuesdays - Thursdays; $125 ($175 for premium seating, $75 for bar seating) on Fridays; and $145 ($175 for premium seating, $75 for bar seating) on Saturdays. Reservations can be made only at www.thecarlyle.com or by phone at 212.744.1600. Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street, at Madison Avenue).

Collins' show at Café Carlyle will feature a mixture of classic hits, selections from her latest album Bohemian (October 2011), and new material. Her set will include "Pure Imagination," from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty," Jimmy Webb's "Campo De Encino" and Collins' own "In The Twilight," which she wrote as a tribute to her mother.

Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-album body of work, and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.

The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions. Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Judy's dreamy and sweetly intimate version of "Send in the Clowns," a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, won "Song of the Year" at the 1975 Grammy Awards. She's garnered several top-ten hits gold- and platinum-selling albums. Recently, contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Gutherie, Joan Baez, and Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.

Judy began her impressive music career at 13 as a piano prodigy dazzling audiences performing Mozart's "Concerto for Two Pianos," but the hardluck tales and rugged sensitivity of folk revival music by artists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger seduced her away from a life as a concert pianist. Her path pointed to a lifelong love affair with the guitar and pursuit of emotional truth in lyrics. The focus and regimented practice of classical music, however, would be a source of strength to her inner core as she navigated the highs and lows of the music business.

In 1961, she released her masterful debut, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, which featured interpretative works of social poets of the time such as Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Tom Paxton. This began a wonderfully fertile thirty-five year creative relationship with Jac Holzman and Elektra Records. Around this time Judy became a tastemaker within the thriving Greenwich Village folk community, and brought other singer-songwriters to a wider audience, including poet/musician Leonard Cohen - and musicians Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman. Throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and up to the present, she has remained a vital artist, enriching her catalog with critically acclaimed albums while balancing a robust touring schedule.

Her most recent release, the CD/DVD Judy Collins Live At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art aired on Thirteen/PBS and celebrates her iconic career. On this magical night in her adopted hometown of New York City she performed her most beloved works-from then and now-at the Met's paradisal Temple of Dendur. In attendance were friends and family, and joining her onstage were special guests such as Ani DiFranco, Jimmy Webb, and Shawn Colvin. It's a glowingly pure portrait of a treasured artist with one of the most pristine voices in music.

Judy has also authored several books, including the powerful and inspiring, Sanity & Grace. For her most recent title, the memoir Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: My Life in Music, she reaches deeply inside and, with unflinching candor, recalls her turbulent childhood, extraordinary rise to fame, her romance with Stephen Stills, her epic victories over depression and alcoholism, and her redemption through embracing a healthy and stable lifestyle and finding true love with Louis Nelson, her partner of 30 years. In addition, she remains a social activist, representing UNICEF and numerous other causes. She is also the co-director, with Jill Godmillow, of an Academy Award-nominated film about Antonia Brico, the first woman to conduct major symphonies around the world-and Judy's classical piano teacher when she was young.

Judy Collins, now 74, is as creatively vigorous as ever, writing, touring worldwide, and nurturing fresh talent. She is a modern day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.

Photo by Walter McBride

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