Judy Collins begins her ‘farewell’ tour at 87

How sweet — or suite — it still is. Judy Collins is doing a valedictory lap or two around the country on what is billed as a farewell tour, even though, at 87, she’s showing little in the way of weariness about maintaining a full concert schedule or lack of prowess in pulling these shows off. “It’s time” is the fullest explanation she’ll give about why it might be time to think about slowing down her schedule. In the meantime, there is a long way to go on her “Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour 2026-2027,” named for the song pal Stephen Stills wrote to celebrate her almost six decades go.

If she thought she’d looked at clouds from multiple angles when she had a top 10 hit with the Joni Mitchell-penned “Both Sides, Now” in 1968, imagine how many more cloud sightings she’s had in her career since then. She changes her sets nightly, but ticketholders for the tour are likely to get a sampling of her most well-known covers — like Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” and the hymn “Amazing Grace” — as well as her self-penned material, as highlighted in her most recent studio release, 2022’s “Spellbound.” Whichever songs she picks, fans won’t likely regret a chance to see her for what may or may not be a local last time. In L.A., she headlines the Ford on Friday night, joined by a fellow monster of folk-rock, Bruce Cockburn. (Openers on some of the other tour dates include such big-name acolytes as Richard Thompson, Amanda Shires, Rosanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter.)

Variety caught up with Collins via Zoom from her New York home as she prepared to fly out for the tour’s west coast swing.

-Variety