The Ballad Of Shirley Collins -

Returning to Britain, Collins became a cornerstone of the 1960s folk revival:

: The trauma was exacerbated when her husband's new partner began attending her shows, sometimes even wearing his clothes while standing in the front row. The Ballad of Shirley Collins

: She later founded this band with her second husband, Ashley Hutchings, further pushing the boundaries of traditional music. The Loss of Her Voice Returning to Britain, Collins became a cornerstone of

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. : At age 80, she released Lodestar ,

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.

: At age 80, she released Lodestar , her first new material in 38 years. The recording took place at her home in Lewes to help manage her lingering nerves.