The Ballad Of Shirley Collins May 2026

After decades of silence, Collins was coaxed back into the studio by friends and fellow musicians like David Tibet of Current 93.

: The 2017 feature film The Ballad of Shirley Collins chronicles this remarkable comeback, juxtaposing her modern recording sessions with footage and stories from her 1959 trip with Lomax. The Ballad of Shirley Collins

: Collins found herself unable to sing, even in private. She largely withdrew from the music world for nearly 40 years, taking low-level jobs and focusing on raising her children. The "Phoenix-Like" Return After decades of silence, Collins was coaxed back

: She later founded this band with her second husband, Ashley Hutchings, further pushing the boundaries of traditional music. The Loss of Her Voice She largely withdrew from the music world for

Born in Hastings, East Sussex, in 1935, Shirley Collins grew up in a family deeply rooted in traditional English song. In 1954, she met famed American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax in London and eventually became his lover and research assistant.

: At age 80, she released Lodestar , her first new material in 38 years. The recording took place at her home in Lewes to help manage her lingering nerves.

In 1959, the two embarked on a historic "Southern Journey" across the Deep South of the United States to document authentic American folk and blues. This trip was pivotal, leading to the discovery of influential artists like Mississippi Fred McDowell and capturing recordings that later inspired the soundtrack for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? .