Judy Collins I REMEMBER…

Seattle-born singer Judy Collins, 81, has been in the business for more than six decades. She looks back on a musical childhood, dating Stephen Stills and meeting John F Kennedy

- Simon Button

…MY FIRST MEMORY IS DANCING WITH MY FATHER on a street corner when they announced that the Second World War was over. I was three years old at the time and I recall him carrying me on his shoulders as everyone around us seemed so happy and elated.

…I WAS THE OLDEST OF FIVE SIBLINGS and I like to say I was “trained” rather than “raised” because I was taught to play the piano from a young age. When I was five, I was taken to a dance class and I did poorly so I then went to a piano teacher and I did well. My father was a singer, songwriter, performer and radio show host so I heard all the great songs and I sang in the church and school choirs. It was a very busy childhood.

…MY REPORT CARD AT SCHOOL SAID “NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.”

Both in Seattle and Denver, where we moved when I was ten years old, I was always being pulled up for my behaviour in class because I guess I didn’t pay much attention to subjects I wasn’t good at, like algebra. But I was pretty good at geometry and singing.

…MUM WAS AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN. She sewed our clothes, cooked our food, drove a Red Cross van during the war and had her own book club for 40 years. Both my parents had ethics and they were disciplined but kind.