Judy Collins: Both Sides of a ’60s Folk Icon By James Reed (edited by Gina McNeil) (source: Boston Globe) Legendary Folk Singer-songwriter Judy Collins won a Grammy Award, Best Folk Performance or Folk Recording, "Both Sides, Now" in 1968. She is world renowned for her social activism.
Judy Collins, singer-songwriter
Q. What did you learn about yourself from writing this memoir?
A. That I could, that I could see it through. It’s much easier to write the book than to have it published. I’ll tell you a secret: I wanted to call the book “Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: Sex, Drugs, Rock ’n’ Roll, and the Music that Changed a Generation.’’ It got shot down, and I couldn’t fight it. They wanted “Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: My Life in Music.’’ When I finally directly asked my editor about it, he said, “I didn’t tell you this, but when we proposed to the salespeople what this book was going to be, they did not like that title.’’ And I said, “Why?’’ And he said, “They don’t see you that way.’’ Well, I guess I blew their illusions! (Laughs.) That was my point. Q. Do you think people have the wrong idea about you? A. I said it in one of the opening scenes where Janis Joplin and I were sitting together. People expected her to crash and burn; they expected something totally different from me. So I think [my editor] is probably right. I do want to get it in that my vote was for “Sex, Drugs, Rock ’n’ Roll, and the Music That Changed a Generation.’’
Q. Did you ever struggle with not romanticizing the ’60s? A. No, because the specifics were so interesting, but the harrowing life I led as an active alcoholic kept that in perspective. Although the title may be misleading to some people, the facts are that that was a very rough time for me. I don’t think there’s any way to romanticize it, nor do I think there’s any way to separate it from the social upheaval that was going on around us. Whether or not we remember well enough - and we obviously don’t - what the Vietnam War was about, I remember it and so does everybody that lived through it.
Q. Do you see the spirit of the ’60s in the Occupy Wall Street protests? A. You bet. And if I wasn’t on the road all the time, I’d be down there with them. Everywhere I go there are these wonderful protests going on. I think it’s just phenomenal. It’s exactly what was intended. I thought people had forgotten what kind of power they have. And I see now that we have that power.
Q. At more than 300 pages, it has a nice heft, but what did you leave out of the book? A. I think it came down to about 95,000 words, but it went out at 120,000. (Laughs) There were a lot of things I didn’t get to keep in that book. I did not talk much about anything post-1978.
Q. For a Boston readership, you have some great passages about New England. Do you have a lingering relationship with this part of the country? A. Oh, absolutely. You’ve been one of the foundations of my fan base. The East Coast, I could probably spend my life touring here and never have to go to Paris and London, which I did last week.
(source: Boston Globe)
For more information on the 8th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards), go to: http://www.inacoustic.com
Tune in to the 2011 USA Songwriting Competition Podcast.
Music featured in this podcast by:
Kate Voegele – Only Fooling Myself
Ari Gold – Where The Music Takes You
Alannah Myles – Give Me Love
Rosie Casey & Hillary Podell – Is That So Bad
Writers: Ken Hirsch, Rosie Casey, Peter Roberts & Hillary Podell
Amelia Curran – The Mistress
ASON - Be Inspired
Ian Holmes – More
Writers: Raleigh Hall & Gordon Chambers
Pepper MaShay – Does Yo Mamma Know
Christopher Tin – Baba Yetu
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (55.2MB)
7th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS KICKS OFF
Liz Longley, 6th Annual IAMA Winner
The 7th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) is currently accepting entries. IAMA promotes excellence in acoustic music performance and artistry. Acoustic artists in various genres can gain exciting radio and web exposure through this competition. Participating sponsors include Fingerstyle Guitar magazine, D’Addario Strings, New Music Weekly, Loggins Promotion, AirplayAccess.com, Sonicbids, roadjam.com, Kari Estrin Management, Acoustic Cafe Radio Show and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. More sponsors will be announced shortly.
Unlike American Idol, IAMA is open to all independent artists and labels, there is no age limit and people from all countries can enter and best off all entrants do not have to stand in line for hours or days in order to audition. Entrants need to mail in an entry form along with a CD recording or enter online on IAMA’s website.
Win prizes in 8 different categories: Folk/Americana/Roots, AAA/Alternative, Instrumental, Open, Bluegrass/Country, Best Male Artist, Best Female Artist, Best Group/Duo. There will also be an Overall Grand Prize winner awarded to the top winner worth US$11,000, which includes radio promotion to over 250 radio stations in US and Canada. Therefore, winning songs will be heard on radio. Winners and runner-ups will also be featured on IAMA’s compilation CD.
Last year’s winner went to folk singer-songwriter Liz Longley, a college student attending Berklee College of Music. After her win, she was confirmed to be performing in the prestigious Newport Folk Festival.
Judging is based on excellence in music performance, songwriting/composition and originality. Winners are selected by a panel of established artists and industry professionals. Other past winners include: The Refugees (2009 Winner), UK singer-songwriter Charlie Dore (2008 winner). Charlie Dore is most famous in the United States for her 1980 pop single, “Pilot of the Airwaves,” which hit Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts and shot to international worldwide fame. Fertitta and McClintock (USA), Jen Foster USA), Mistin’ (Australia), David Francey (Juno award winner from Canada), April Verch (Canada) and Millish USA).
Winners and finalists of the Awards will be featured in the IAMA website and e-newsletters, read by music press, talent buyers, promoters and other industry insiders. All songs submitted must be submitted must be original and submitted on CD, the artist may perform original material not yet released and written by other songwriters or composers.
Early Entry Bonus: first 1,000 entrants entered by August 31, 2010 will each receive a free gift. Check out:
http://www.inacoustic.com
6th Annual IAMA Finalist, Amelia Curran holds her Juno trophy as she hams it up for photographers after receiving the Juno for Roots and Traditional Album Of The Year: Solo for “Hunter, Hunter” at the 2010 Juno Gala Dinner and Awards show at the St. John’s Convention Centre in St. John’s Saturday. (Photo by Joe Gibbons/The Telegram, used by permission). Amelia Curran was a finalist in the Folk/Roots category of the 6th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards).
“I had to play the songwriters’ circle this afternoon and now we’re here. Things haven’t stopped, and it’s all very confusing,” she said Sunday while walking the red carpet into the 2010 Juno Awards TV broadcast.
She is heading out on tour – to Western Canada and then the United States – for the next six weeks.
The winners of the 6th Annual IAMA have been announced. Liz Longley wins the overall grand prize. See details below:
Liz Longley, Top Winner of the 6th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards
OVERALL GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
When You’ve Got Trouble – Liz Longley
http://www.lizlongley.com
BEST GROUP/DUO
1st Prize: Hurricane – Alathea
Runner-up: Cold – Hey Negrita
BEST MALE ARTIST
1st Prize: Falling Up – Michael Brandmeier
Runner-up: She Breaks – Vienne
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
1st Prize: Waterfalls – Meghan Trainor
Runner-up: Nurse Me Back to Health – Angela Saini
COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS
1st Prize: Simplify – Henhouse Prowlers
Runner-up: Yellow Butter Moon – Doug Spears
AAA/ALTERNATIVE
1st Prize: Sing Your Heart Out – The Trews
Runner-up: Heartbreaker – Jenn Grant
OPEN/AOG
1st Prize: I Will Bleed For You – IVO
Runner-up: 21 Days – Gary Procyshyn
INSTRUMENTAL
1st Prize: Le Mans – El McMeen
Runner-up: Vorizo – The Marc Atkinson Trio
FOLK
1st Prize: When You’ve Got Trouble – Liz Longley
Runner-up: Glenrio – Melissa McClelland
IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) promotes excellence in Acoustic Music Performance and Artistry. Acoustic artists in various genres can gain exciting radio and web exposure through this competition. 
