Shirley Collins (b 1935) and Dolly Collins (1933 - 1995)

English vocal and instrumental band, playing mainly traditional English songs.

(Shirley Collins has record with the Albion band, The Etchingham Steam Band,
The Young Tradition and solo)
(Dolly Collins has recorded with the Young Tradition and as a duo with Shirley)
(Dolly Collins has recorded as a session musician/arranger with the Incredible 
String Band, Ian Matthews, Mark Ellington, Chris Darrow and Tony Rose. 
She has also written classical music)
(She collaborated with Peter Bellamy in the Ballad-opera "The Transports")
(John Sothcott has recorded with several of the musicians as "St John's Canzona")
(John Kirkpatrick has recorded with Steeleye Span, Brass Monkey and solo)
(Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol and Dave Mattacks have recorded 
with Fairport Convention and Albion)
(Terry Potter has also recorded with the Etchingham Steam Band)
(David Munrow recorded with the Early Music Consort)
(Christopher Hogwood has recorded with The Academy of 
St Martin in the Fields and other orchestras)

Albums.

Title.year.Label.number.
Anthems in Eden1969EMI/Harvest SHVL 754 
[reissued as "Amaranth" (*)]1976 EMI/HarvestSHSM 2008
[reissued as "Anthems in Eden"(**)]1993 HarvestCDEMS 1477
Love, Death and the Lady1970EMI/Harvest SHVL 771 
[reissue]1994 HarvestCZ 534
[reissue with bonus tracks]2003 Fledg'lingFLED 3039
Harking Back (live 1978/9)1998DURTROCD 046
(*) The 1976 "Amaranth" contains some of the tracks from the 1969 "Anthems in Eden"
plus new recordings made in 1976 with the Albion Band.
(**) The 1993 "Anthems in Eden" contains all the tracks of the 1969 "Anthems in Eden"
plus the additional tracks from 1976 "Amaranth".

Collaboration - Young Tradition and Shirley and Dolly Collins.

Title.year.Label.No
The Holly Bears the Crown 1969FledglingFLED3006

Anthology - Lonnie Donegan, Ewan MacColl, Ian Campbell, Young Tradition, Shirley and Dolly Collins, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Anne Briggs et al.

Title.year.Label.No
Troubadours of British Folk Volume 1 - Unearthing the Tradition 1995Rhino 72160

Album tracks.

"Anthems in Eden" The first eight tracks were recorded in 1969 and released on vinyl in 1969. In 1976 tracks 9 to 14 were recorded with musicians mainly from the Albion Band. A vinyl album was issued in 1976 with track one on side one and the newly recorded tracks on side two. In 1993 a CD with all the tracks was issued. Track one is a suite lasting 28 minutes 07 seconds. The whole album lasts 69 minutes 56 seconds. The musical arrangement is strikingly original, and nothing like it has been recorded since.

Tracks 1 to 8: Settings by Dolly Collins, directed by David Munrow. Shirley Collins (vocals), Adam Skeaping (bass viol), Roderick Skeaping (rebec, treble and bass viol), Oliver Brookes (bass viol), Michael Laird (cornett), Richard Lee (descant and treble recorder), Alan Lumsden (sackbut), Christopher Hogwood (hapsichord), Dolly Collins (portative organ), Gillian Ried (bells), David Munrow (soprano and alto crumhorn, bass rackett, tenor sordun, treble recorder) Chorus: "The Home Brew"(Michael Clifton, Ray Worman, John Fordham) plus Royston Wood, Steve Ashley and John Morgan.

 Tracks 9 to 14: Shirley Collins (vocals), John Rodd (anglo-concertina), Chris Hogwood (virginals), Simon Nicol (acoustic and electric guitar), Pat Donaldson (electric bass guitar), Dave Mattacks (regal, drums), Roger Brenner (alto suckbut), Colin Sheen (tenor sackbut), Paul Beer (tenor sackbut), Martin Nichols (bass sackbut), John Sothcott (viele, recorder), John Kirkpatrick (melodeon, button accordion), Terry Potter (mouth-organ), Ashley Hutchings (acoustic and electric bass guitar), John Watcham (anglo-concertina), chorus and bells by Albion Morris Men (David Busby, Mike Clifton, Dots Daultry, Stuart Hollyer, Roger Rigden, Ada Turnham).  

Title.

Author.

1. "A song-story" (A Beginning/ A Meeting/A Courtship/ A Denying/ A Forsaking/ A Dream/ A Leavetaking/ An Awakening/ A New Beginning)

The songs are: "Searching for Lambs", "The Wedding Song", "The Blacksmith", "Our Captain Cried", "Lowlands", "Pleasant and Delightful", "Whitsun Dance", "Stains Morris"

All traditional apart from "Whitsun Dance" (words by A J Marshall)
2. Rambleaway Trad
3. Ca' The Yowes Robert Burns
4. God Dog Robin Williamson
5. Bonny Cuckoo Trad
6. Nellie The Milkmaid Trad
7. Gathering Rushes In The Month Of May Trad
8. The Gower Wassail Trad
9. Fare The Well My Dearest Dear Trad
10. C'Est La Fin/ Pou Mon Cuer Anon (French 12th/13th Cent)
11. Bonny Kate Trad
12. Adieu To All Judges and Juries Trad
13. Edi Beo Thu Hevene Quene Anon (Eng 13th Cent)
14. Black Joker/Black, White, Yellow & Green Trad

"Love, Death and the Lady". Recorded 1970. Running time 65 minutes 21 seconds (including the bonus tracks)

Shirley Collins (vocals), Chris Hogwood (harpsichord), Alan Lumsden (sackbut), Adam Skeaping (bass viol, violene), Roderick Skeaping (bass viol), Eleanor Sloan (rebec), John Fordham (recorder), Dolly Collins (flute-organ and piano), Terry Cox (percussion), Peter Wood (concertina).  Uncredited male chorus includes John Fordham and  Royston Wood

Title.

Author.

1. Death & the Lady Trad
2. GlenlogieTrad
3. The Oxford GirlTrad
4. Are You Going To Leave Me?Trad
5. The Outlandish KnightTrad
6. Go From My WindowTrad arranged Collins and Wood
7. Young Girl Cut Down In Her PrimeTrad
8. GeordieTrad
9. Salisbury PlainTrad
10. Fair Maid of Islington Trad
11. Six DukesTrad
12. Polly on the ShoreTrad arranged Collins and Wood
13. Plains of WaterlooTrad
14. Sailor From Dover (*)Trad
15. Young John (*)Trad arranged Shirley and Dolly Collins
16. Short Jacket & White Trousers (*) Trad
17. The Bold Fisherman (*) Trad arranged Bob Copper

(* Bonus tracks not available on the original LP. They were recorded during the original studio sessions)


Last updated on 30/01/2011