Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

We went to see Judy Collins in concert tonight at St. Joseph's College. The theater was small and intimate and we were sitting in the second row. No one was sitting in front of me, so I had a birds eye view of Ms. Judy. Her voice was in fine shape, as crystal clear as ever.

She started out with Joni Mitchell's Chelsea Morning, which was a wonderfully upbeat song. She talked about her roots, musical history and her Irish family. ( She made reference to Irish Alzheimer's ... forgetting everything but the grudge... a couple of times which the audience found humorous.)

Listening to all the songs brought me back to my teen aged years, where I spent a lot of time in my room listening to records and memorizing every word. A lonely time in many ways, but the music was there to keep me company and allow me to fantasize about being someone I wasn't. I felt healing chills listening to the words of her old songs... such poetry.

In the day I was hopeful that maybe someday I would be strong, creative and confident like the performers I admired.

Judy sang a new song she wrote about 911, and it was hauntingly beautiful.

She talked about Arlo Guthrie and Joan Baez... both of whom I have met and seen in concert many times. I began to think about how grateful I was to my husband who steered me away from Top 40 to folk music, and thinking about how much of our married life has revolved around musical events.

The performance was outstanding, but she wrapped it up only after one hour of songs, hardly enough time for her to sing enough of my favorites. I was certain she would sing Both Sides Now for her encore, but instead she sung, the Beatles' tune, In My Life. And then she was gone.

Unexpectedly, we were able to attend the reception after the show and meet her. I always become shy around the celebs and I leave it to my husband to get the autographs and chit chat with them. As we were waiting for her to come out the crowd was all a buzz that she didn't sing Both Sides Now, her biggest hit. So when she came out someone had the courage to ask her why she left it out. She said she was singing it at the 7:00 PM show. Sensing the disappointment of the crowd, she said that since we all wanted it, we could sing it together. So with Judy leading... we all sang the first verse of Both Sides Now . It was so special and way better than if she had sung it on stage for her encore.

So what a night... a reception with Judy and a private sing a long.