May They Stay Forever Young
by Marbury on 8/12/17Atlanta Symphony Hall - AtlantaRating: 5 out of 5I saw Judy Collins in concert 50 years ago and have seen her probably a half-dozen times since. Her voice was stunning back then in its beauty and range, and if, at the age of 78, she has lost anything over the years, it is not at all apparent. I recall reading an interview recently with Joan Baez, whom I've seen from time to time in concert over the same large time span. Baez still sounds great, but when asked if her voice has changed, she laughed and said her range was significantly less but that she knew her limits and stayed within them. In this concert, Judy Collins sang some songs requiring great range, like Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne," that I hadn't heard her sing in years, and it was as heart-stopping as ever, with every note nailed. This may have been the best concert I've ever seen her give, because, thanks to her pairing with Stephen Stills, the song selection was the best ever. Stephen Stills's voice is not quite what it used to be, though still good, but his guitar-playing is as extraordinary as ever, and he has few peers on guitar today. Altogether, seeing the two onetime lovers now so obviously enjoying one another's extraordinary musical skills and friendship was priceless.