Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

My Life in Music

By: Judy Collins

Narrated by: Judy Collins

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

A vivid, highly evocative memoir of one of the reigning icons of folk music, highlighting the decade of the ’60s, when hits like “Both Sides Now” catapulted her to international fame.

Sweet Judy Blue Eyes is the deeply personal, honest, and revealing memoir of folk legend and relentlessly creative spirit Judy Collins. In it, she talks about her alcoholism, her lasting love affair with Stephen Stills, her friendships with Joan Baez, Richard and Mimi Fariña, David Crosby, and Leonard Cohen and, above all, the music that helped define a decade and a generation’s sound track.

Sweet Judy Blue Eyes invites the listener into the parties that peppered Laurel Canyon and into the recording studio so we see how cuts evolved take after take, while it sets an array of amazing musical talent against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent decades of twentieth-century America.

Beautifully written, richly textured, and sharply insightful, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes is an unforgettable chronicle of the folk renaissance in America.

©2011 Judy Collins (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“…a fascinating and even harrowing musical and personal reflection.” ( Kirkus)

She even sings!

A delightfully self revealing story of the life of one of my favorite singers. I got to know her in the late 60s and had not really realized how many of the "folks songs" I learned at camp in the early 60s were because my counselors were teens and listening to the new folk revival albums, including hers. She read this herself and sings from time to time which just delighted the heck out of me. The last few "chapters" are actually her singing 5 songs for us, including one of my favorites. Brava, Ms Collins!

Sweet Judy Blue Eyes!!! Honest and well written!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Sweet Judy Blue Eyes to be better than the print version?

Never read it, but loved hearing Judy Collins tell her own story!!

What did you like best about this story?

Her honesty..... 3 generations of my family love her music!! I loved hearing about her life and her survival through everything!

Suite Judy a Little Too Sweet

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Ummnnnn... I might. It had it's moments.

Did Sweet Judy Blue Eyes inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

I'm guessing that Judy Collins has stories about her life and friends that weren't so sweet. That most of her peers from her early beginnings are still alive might have inhibited some of the juicier, more real stories from hitting the page. But overall, a good listen, if only to see if there was going to be any truly meaty 411.
That said, the times she sings a cappella, are worth the price of the book. She is still in extraordinary voice.

Wonderful Journey

This audiobook is an amazing accomplishment. For one thing, Judy Collins reveals all her innermost hopes and dreams and where they took her in life. Secondly, she reads it herself and that gives the book a lot of meaning. It's an epic story. She made all these choices in life and it is mind boggling how it all turned out. She is famous and has accomplished so much. Now listen to what happened behind the scenes. I felt like I was there, from growing up in Seattle and Boulder, to getting married and moving on, it really brings you back into that place and time. Well worth listening to. I loved it! Songs at the end are wonderful too.

This was a WONDERFUL memoir!

I so enjoyed listening to this book. Judy is so authentic and revealing. You feel like a very close friend. Her life has been interesting and heartbreaking and wondrous all at the same time. She sings throughout the audio book which is a huge bonus! I actually went to high school with Judy, so it was especially interesting to me. But if you lived through the days of the birth of
folksinging, you will love it also.

Sweet, sweet Judy - a real icon

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, on CD.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sweet Judy Blue Eyes?

The entire Chapter One took me back to the sixties!

What does Judy Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

her voice and emotion

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

I was extremely disappointed in the sound quality of audibles rendition thay I am now buying the CD version instead. For only three dollars more I can have the entire frequency range and clarity that is missing form all audible products.It is so sad that audible has such a lock on the industry, as their sound quality is so much less than optimum - in a word, lousy!. Buy the CD version for a geniune experience of her beautiful voice!

Voices of the angels...

What an absolute joy this listen is! Ms. Collins tells her own life story, all the joys and pain. The other greats of the music world pass in and through -- the "folkies", Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin. Her romance with Stephen Stills. Her collaboration with songwriters such as Leonard Cohen and Mimi and Richard Farina. She speaks with raw honesty about her alcoholism and the joy of her recovery. She often breaks in to beautiful a cappella renderings of some of her songs. Bonus -- Listen all the way through, past the credits. She sings several songs, tributes in part to her family - her son in "Born to the Breed", then "My Father" and one I'd not ever heard, about her mother. So moving. Wonderful, simply wonderful.

Ruby-throated sparrow still flying high

Wow! I thought I'd enjoy this book, but I didn't expect to be so utterly blown away. It's a poetically written autobiography, but the best part is that Judy herself did the reading. Her lilting, somewhat pensive voice is absolutely perfect...but wait...she treats the listener to many snippets of acapella singing & her voice is still that of an angel.

I'm old enough to remember the 60s & 70s (from a child's eyes) but too young to really appreciate what was going on in the world. It was wonderful to hear Judy's experiences in the civil rights movement, peace movement, etc. The release was perfect timing for OWS. I myself am a peace activist which is one reason I'm attracted to Judy Collins in the first place.

This is one book that you really have to HEAR rather than read. Ten stars!

Superb memoir - Judy is better than ever!

Brutally honest, very well written and narrated memoir by an icon of the folk era. I couldn't stop listening! Includes a number of her songs at the end.

I loved hearing this book!

Judy Collins narrates her book. Her voice makes it really feel like she’s talking to us, the listening audience. The story of her life is fascinating.