INFORMATION FOR
Award-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins, esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own original compositions, will perform at William Paterson University in Wayne on Saturday, December 6 as part of her Holiday & Hits Tour. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on campus.
Opening the evening will be a singalong with the WP Chamber Choir, one of the University’s student musical groups, who will perform a medley of holiday tunes and other selections.
A music icon, Collins has inspired audiences for five decades with her sublime vocals and boldly vulnerable songwriting. Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell's “Both Sides Now,” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Her version of “Send in the Clowns,” a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, won "Song of the Year” at the 1975 Grammy Awards. Several of her albums have achieved gold and platinum status. In addition, contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.
In the 1960s, Collins evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, new generations have been introduced to her iconic body of work. Her 55th album, Spellbound, released in 2022, marks the first time ever she wrote all the songs on one of her albums. Spellbound was nominated in the Best Folk Album category at the 65th Recording Academy Grammy Awards in 2023. Collins released her first book of poetry, Sometimes It’s Heaven: Poems of Love, Loss, and Redemption, in March 2025.
Tickets range from $53 to $72. There is a 10 percent discount for William Paterson faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as senior citizens. To purchase tickets, or for additional information, call the Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371 or visit wp-presents.org.
