Host story

Judy Collins

Judy Collins

Legendary folk singer Judy Collins hosts the Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide documentary and on the television version of the documentary sings in closing  the heartbreaking ballad, "Wings of Angels," which she wrote about the 1992 death of her 33-year-old son by suicide. Judy recently wrote a memoir, Sanity and Grace (J.P. Tarcher, 2003) which chronicles her journey from the acute pain of the aftermath of suicide, to finding hope and healing.

Judy is perhaps best know for her clear, a cappella renditions of "Amazing Grace," as well as the Grammy Hall of Fame song, "Both Sides Now" (written by Joni Mitchell). Her version of "Send in the Clowns," the ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway Musical, "A Little Night Music" won "Song of the Year" at the 1975 Grammy's.

"The origins for the book were inside the journals I've been keeping for probably 35 years," Collins said in a November 2003 interview for NPR. "When Clark died, I wrote in my journal to make sense of his death. It took years for me to recover. And in one sense, you never get over it."

In subsequent years, Judy has become an advocate for suicide survivors, using her own pain as a way to help others. In 2000 she received the Survivor Award given by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Collins has done extensive research on suicide and strongly advises suicide survivors to join groups of others like themselves. "I starting going to a survivors' group and heard other stories, and I told them my story," she remembers. "I learned from that tool. Suicide is the result of a disease and should be treated as such." (NPR website, http://www.npr.org/programs/musings/2003/nov/collins.html )

Judy Collins agreed to narrate Fierce Goodbye when she was approached by Mennonite Media staff member, Sheri Hartzler, at a luncheon where Judy sang for the Organization for Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Interfaith Services (OASSIS) hosted by James T. Clemons. Clemons, professor emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary, also appears in the Fierce Goodbye documentary.

Judy's singing and recording career spans more than 40 years, from her first album recorded in 1961 at the age of 22, "A Maid of Constant Sorrow." She maintains an active concert and recording schedule and most recently released an album entitled "Judy Collins Wildflower Festival" with additional singers Arlo Guthrie, Tom Rush, Eric Andersen.

Judy is a member of St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City and serves as an artist in residence at the Cathedral and on the church's Board of Regents.