: 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.
: She later founded this band with her second husband, Ashley Hutchings, further pushing the boundaries of traditional music. The Loss of Her Voice The Ballad of Shirley Collins
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? . : The 2017 feature film The Ballad of
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. This trip was pivotal, leading to the discovery
: In 1964, she recorded the landmark album Folk Roots, New Routes with guitarist Davey Graham, which is credited with setting the template for the folk-rock movement.
: The trauma was exacerbated when her husband's new partner began attending her shows, sometimes even wearing his clothes while standing in the front row.