Judy Collins was one of the defining voices of the 1960s and 1970s folk revival, with recordings like “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” and “Send in the Clowns” echoing across generations. Along the way, she was influenced and shaped by legends like Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger.
But Collins didn't just learn from the musical giants around her; she, too, actively championed the next generation of rock icons. And perhaps no one benefited more from her encouragement than a young Leonard Cohen and his newly written song, “Suzanne.”
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The first meeting between Collins, 27, and Cohen, 31, happened in 1966.
Set up through a mutual friend, Mary Martin, the get-together took place at Collins’ apartment, where she lived with her manager and then-significant other, Michael Thomas. They all talked for hours, but no music was played until the following day.
Returning with his guitar, Cohen played a few of the songs he’d recently written, with Collins immediately hearing something special in “Suzanne” and “Dress Rehearsal Rag,” both of which she ended up recording for her 1966 album, In My Life. But it was “Suzanne” that would really become a catalyst for both musicians.
“Suzanne” wasn’t released as a single, so it had no chance of charting. But its parent album, released through Elektra Records, did rather well on the Billboard 200, peaking just under the Top 40 at No. 46. Even better, it was a major artistic and commercial breakthrough for Collins, eventually earning Gold certification from the RIAA for selling more than 500,000 units.
Following all this newfound exposure brought on by Collins singing his songs, Cohen found the confidence he needed to launch a music career. That intimate gathering between friends proved to be pivotal for Cohen, as it marked the moment he began making the leap from celebrated writer to recording artist.
Though awkward, it was an unforgettable first step toward the future Cohen had once been too shy to imagine.
“Cohen’s relationship with Collins is one of the most important in the context of his entire legacy and career,” Far Out wrote. “When they first met, Collins wasn’t sure which road he would end up taking in life, which likely wasn’t helped by the fact that Collins wasn’t all that sure she liked his songs that much either. But then he wrote ‘Suzanne,’ which Collins then recorded in 1966, arming him with the courage to go on and pursue his artistic talents in earnest.”
Cohen released his debut album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, featuring "Suzanne," "So Long, Marianne," "The Stranger Song," and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," the following year.
In a beautiful full-circle story, Cohen also inspired Collins to step out on her own.
Before In My Life, Collins was a prominent interpreter of folk songs and key tastemaker of the coffeehouse scene in Greenwich Village. But after a friendly nudge from her new friend, she became a fully realized performer. She wrote her first song, “Since You Asked,” in less than an hour, per Far Out, and released her debut album shortly after.
In another moment that would be monumental in Cohen’s career, Collins urged an incredibly nervous Cohen onto the stage for his first major live public performance. As a musician who thought he couldn’t sing, Cohen was paralyzed with fear, now standing before a packed audience in New York’s Town Hall about to perform his own material.
From the wings, Collins said she could see his legs shaking. Halfway through the first verse, Cohen bailed. Backstage, Collins comforted him and calmed him down. Then the two took the stage together and finished the song.
“He finished Suzanne, and the audience went wild. He has been giving concerts ever since,” Collins said.
Word of Cohen’s presence spread, and by the time he played the open-air festival at Central Park in July 1967, fans were ready to hear him live. This is the showcase where he famously whispered, “Tonight, my guitar is full of tears and feathers,” before playing “Suzanne,” and the rest is history.
In 1967, Collins, who had already established herself as a worthy singer-songwriter, would find meteoric success with a cover of Joni Mitchell’s "Both Sides Now.” The song became a Top 10 hit in 1968 and even won her a Grammy for Best Folk Performance in 1969.
Cohen himself is the owner of two Grammys. And to think none of it would have happened without Collins. The two needed each other.
“He was generous to a fault,” Collins toldThe Telegraph in 2020 of her friend. “One of the most interesting people I ever knew, and a gentleman on all scores. … I have always been grateful that I did not fall in love with Leonard in the way that I fell in love with his songs.”
Related: 1988 Medley, Which Blended Hits by Peter Frampton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sent This Duo to No. 1
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