Judy Collins, Rosanne Cash, and Mary Chapin Carpenter

Inspired by artists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and more generally the folk resurgence of the early 1960s, Judy Collins hit stardom in 1967 after her cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides, Now’, released on her album ‘Wildflowers’, gained international recognition. Not only did the single peak at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, but Collins also won her first Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance as a result. Judy then released singles such as ‘Someday Soon’ and ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ before the 1970 Christian hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ returned Collins back to the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100 - it peaked at no. 15 - and also charted at no. 10 on the Australian Singles Chart. During her career, the talented folk singer has released over 25 studio albums, along with numerous live and compilation albums, whilst also utilizing her vocal talents on different stages; in 1970, Collins featured on The Muppet Show, and sang ‘Leather-Winged Bat’, ‘Do Re Mi’, ‘I Know an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly’ and ‘Send in the Clowns', whilst also starring on Sesame Street on numerous occasions.

Collins performed at prestigious settings such as the Wolftrap Farm amphitheater (Vienna USA) and the Capitol building (Washington USA), and also performed at President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration in 1993. She is commended for her ethical motives, as a representative for UNICEF, and was also awarded a Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from Pratt Institute (2009). A multi-talented individual, Judy Collins is a highly respected member amongst the folk-music following and beyond.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, US, to father Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto, Cash joined her father’s road show after graduating high school early-1970s, moving from laundry duty to becoming a backup singer and occasional soloist. She made her recording debut in 1974 on Johnny Cash’s “The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me,” featuring on the song, “Broken Freedom Song.” However, it was another four years before Rosanne decided to seriously pursue a career in music.

In 1978, Cash signed with Columbia Records, releasing her American debut, “Right or Wrong” in 1979, featuring three Top 25 hits. Her breakthrough came in 1981, “Seven Year Ache,” which brought Cash three number one singles in the country charts, with the title track also crossing over into the Top 30 of the mainstream Billboard pop charts. Cash took a stylistic turn in 1985, moving towards a country-pop sound with “Rhythm & Romance,” which gained praise from country and pop fans alike. Her next critical and commercial success came with 1987’s “King Record Shop,” featuring four number one singles, with Cash being named ‘Top Singles Artist’ by Billboard in 1988.

By the end of the decade, Cash released the retrospective album, “Hits 1979-1989,” summarising her ten years of success as a solo artist. The following decade, amidst personal upheaval following her divorce, Cash continued to release albums, taking a more introspective style of song writing. Cash moved away from the country pop of the past to a more mature, folk sound, displaying her musical diversity in albums such as 1993’s “The Wheel.”

It was another ten years before Cash would release her next full-length studio album, 2003’s “Rules of Travel.” Cash continued to record music until 2007, when she was diagnosed with Chiari malformation, with Cash taking a break from music in order to undergo treatment and recovery from her condition. She had overcome her illness by late-2008, returning to the studio in 2009 with “The List,” a collection of recordings of songs that her father had considered to be the 100 most essential American songs. Cash then set up the ‘Johnny Cash Music Festival’ in 2011, as a tribute to her father. She then returned to the studio, developing new original material, which culminated in 2014’s “The River & The Thread.”

Carpenter was given her first guitar by her mother, who had picked up the instrument during the 1960s folk explosion, passing down the instrument to allow her daughter’s enthusiasm for music to flourish. Carpenter played music throughout her high school years, but it was a move to Washington D.C., US, that sparked further interest in a music career, having become involved with the city’s folk scene in the mid-‘70s. After travelling round Europe for a year, Carpenter returned to study at Brown University, where she graduated as an American Civilisation major.

After graduating, Carpenter became more and more involved with the local folk scene, soon developing her repertoire and teaming up with guitarist John Jennings. The demo tapes landed Carpenter an audition with Columbia Records in 1987, who soon signed the young starlet to their roster. Before long, “Hometown Girl,” her debut album was released. “State of the Heart” followed in 1989, which garnered Carpenter a growing fan base, bolstered by her two Top Ten singles in “Never Had It So Good” and “Quittin’ Time.”

This success was in defiance of country radio stations’ reluctance to play her songs that were often progressive and dealing with feminist subject matters. Yet with “Shooting Straight in the Dark,” this was about to change, and Carpenter broke down barriers that soon led to her breakthrough success in 1992 with “Come on Come On.” Her country-folk found huge popularity this time around, earning her a string of Top Ten hits, as well as the number one “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” eventually selling over two million copies of her fourth record.

“Stones In the Road” in 1994 almost equaled this success, whilst her following releases continued to find critical acclaim and high sales figures. In 2004, “Between Here and Gone” featured the addition of pianist Matt Rollings, with Carpenter again changing tact through her festive release, “Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas” in 2008. Always progressing, 2012’s “Ashes and Roses” featured a collection of songs entirely self-written, later pushing boundaries in 2013 when she teamed up with Grammy-winning arranger Vince Mendoza, creating an orchestral albums of songs from her back-catalog.