“It’s an honor to be here,” Collins said. “I wanted to say thank you to the Grammy Foundation and to all the work that the Grammys do for all of us,” she added, prior to telling the audience how she met Leonard Cohen over 50 years ago in her living room. He told her that he couldn’t play the guitar, he couldn’t sing, and he didn’t know if this is a song, and then he sang “Suzanne” for her. She went on to deliver her version of “Suzanne,” which was utterly fantastic.
Her performance of “Suzanne” was heartfelt and captivating. Collins‘ voice is pure as the driven snow. The iconic songstress accompanied herself on piano. The control and emotion that she poured into this vocal was evident, and it definitely struck a chord with the audience, as she showed us her wide vocal range.
The Verdict
Overall, Judy Collins proves yet again that she is like fine wine, where she only gets better with age and experience. Singers like Judy Collins come around once in a lifetime. She is one true song stylist. Her live rendition of “Suzanne” at this year’s Grammy awards was simply diving. Leonard Cohen would be smiling from heaven. It garnered an A+.
