In 1978, Collins's life and career took a tragic turn. Following a traumatic marriage breakdown—where her husband abruptly left her for another woman—Collins developed , a condition that caused her throat to physically lock up.
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. The Ballad of Shirley Collins
Returning to Britain, Collins became a cornerstone of the 1960s folk revival: In 1978, Collins's life and career took a tragic turn
After decades of silence, Collins was coaxed back into the studio by friends and fellow musicians like David Tibet of Current 93. In 1954, she met famed American ethnomusicologist Alan
The life of Shirley Collins is often described as a tragic and triumphant ballad itself, marked by a legendary song-collecting journey, a devastating medical condition that silenced her for decades, and a late-life return to the stage .