Folk Legend Judy Collins thrilled the audience at the Ark on Saturday, February 9th, 2013, like only she could.

Posted: Feb 10, 2013 at 9:43 PM [Feb 10, 2013]

On Saturday February 9th, 2013, folk music legend Judy Collins appeared at the Ark in Ann Arbor to a sold-out crowd at 7:30 p.m. From the front of the Ark sign, extending one- and- half blocks, the line of people who were eagerly waiting to enter was jam-packed. That night, Judy Collins had performed two shows, each lasting one-and-half-hours.The second show was at 9:30 p.m.

     The first show began with the Ark Manager urging folks to be Environmentally Conscious, by not forgetting to recycle their paper coffee cups, and products, etc., and to appreciate all that the Ark has to offer. The Ark theater was established in 1965.

     At promptly 7:30 p.m. Judy Collins burst onto the stage and welcomed everyone to the Ark. She had accompaniment onstage on piano. She began her performance with the song, 'Chelsea Morning', which she mentioned was the main inspiration behind Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Secretary of State Hillary naming their daughter Chelsea. She then delved right into her hits, performing her classics like, 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina', 'My Funny Valentine', 'Someday Soon', by Joni Mitchell, Suzanne, by Leonard Cohen, and 'All the Pretty Horses'.

     She spent a considerable amount of time reflecting upon how her father, Chuck Collins, a famous Irish-Tenor and famous singer/songwriter, who, although he was blind since the age of 4, had greatly influenced her career. She was acutely aware of how he struggled to find the right notes, despite his being blind.  Judy told the audience that he had made it perfectly clear that he was not going to let this hinder his path to success in show business. This he had encouraged, from a very early age in Judy and her four younger siblings. She made her stage debut at age 9, in local talent shows. Her father would often playfully cajole her and say, "My, My dear little miss Judy, you can do better than that!" Her life goal began to be about how to please her father. She would often say to herself, as she told the crowd, "The one way I will know that I am really good is if I can please my father!" In no time of course, she outdid even him and rose to become one of the 20th Century's Most-Beloved Folk-Singer Songwriters. She is still prominent at the age of 73, even in the 21st Century.

She concluded the first show with 'Leavin' On A Jet Plane/Take Me Home Country Roads' By John Denver,  Taffy Nivert and  Bill Danoff, to a standing ovation, but the second show was equally spectacular.