Folk icon Judy Collins on her long career, why 80 is the new 20 and her new album

Originally published on December 5, 2019

Folk singer Judy Collins has been making an impact on popular music for nearly six decades. From her days in the legendary Greenwich Village folk scene of the early '60s, to the string of hit singles she released in the '70s, Collins was one of the most captivating and politically outspoken voices of her generation. 

She's also proven herself to be quite the tastemaker. Before singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen were household names in the U.S., Collins was introducing their songs to American audiences though her popular renditions. 

Now, at the age of 80, Collins has lost none of her passion for performing, recording and shining a light on unsung talent. Her new record, Winter Stories, is a collaboration with Norwegian musician Jonas Fjeld and the North Carolina bluegrass band Chatham County Line.

As the title suggests, the album is a seasonally-themed collection of songs, and yet it's not your typical Christmas record. Like winter itself, it's both beautiful and at times dark.

"I've done too many holiday albums," said Collins. "I've done a lot of Christmas albums over the years and even written a couple of Christmas songs myself. So taking into account the fact that winter actually lasts for three months, we thought we'd do something according to winter and spice it up."

Collins joined q's Tom Power, to reflect on her new record, her remarkable career and why, for her, 80 is the new 20.

— Produced by ​Stuart Berman