Shirley Collins

A pivotal figure in Britain's early-'60s folk revival, Shirley Collins' influence on folk music cannot be understated. With her pure, unaffected vocals and Sussex accent, she launched her recording career in the late '50s, adapting the pastoral folk songs of her rural upbringing for simple banjo accompaniment before partnering with famed musicologist Alan Lomax on his song-collecting journey through the American South. Collins' bold spirit and eclecticism flourished with the pioneering jazz-folk fusion of her 1964 album with guitarist Davy Graham, Folk Roots, New Routes, followed by a sequence of albums recorded with her sister Dolly Collins that explored medieval fare and helped launch British folk-rock's golden age. A 38-year recording hiatus ended with the 2016 release of her critically acclaimed album Lodestar. The set, recorded in her home, led to a career revival, followed by two new studio albums, 2020's Heart's Ease and 2023's Archangel Hill.