Into It: Judy Collins

The folk and standards singer reveals what she's reading, watching, and listening to – and who her all-time favorite pianist is.

from the April 25, 2008 edition

... Reading:

I'm reading my second book by Robert Richardson, his book on Emerson called 'The Mind on Fire,' and Steve Martin's 'Born Standing Up,' which I am loving. I just read the Jeffrey Archer book, which is fantastic, the new one, 'A Prisoner of Birth' – quite an extraordinary book – is sort of like reading Alexandre Dumas, which they say in the notes, but which is really true.

... Watching:

I have seen in hotels – because it's there – Flawless. I love her, Demi Moore, and I love him [Michael Caine]. At home we're watching John Adams [on HBO]. I read , of course, the [David] McCullough book. I think they took some liberties with certain aspects of John Adams, but it's ok, I forgive them. I was talking to Lily Tomlin, who told me that her big series on HBO [12 Miles of Bad Road] was [sidelined]; there are no plans to put in on the air. I love her – she's divine and funny and a great actress.

... Listening to:

I'm listening to a lot of Jimmy Webb because I'm learning a couple of his most recent songs. I'm listening to Rachmaninoff and Chopin. I have this big collection of [Vladimir] Horowitz playing everything. He plays everything the best of anybody, as far as I'm concerned. I also enjoy the Mozart concerto and the two piano concertos he wrote for his sister when he was a kid. I know it well because I played it with an orchestra when I was 13.

• A Judy Collins tribute, 'Born To Breed,' featuring artists such as Dolly Parton and Leonard Cohen, is out this summer.