Music fans wonder where the time goes as they make their way inside the Ocean City Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ this Monday, July 20, 2026 evening for a Farewell: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Tour concert by Judy Collins and her special guest Richard Thompson.
Judy Collins has enjoyed a musical career that has spanned seven decades. For her 1967 album, Wildflowers, she recorded Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” which gave her international prominence and won her a Grammy for Best Folk Vocal Performance. Her success continued with additional recordings including “Chelsea Morning,” also written by Joni Mitchell.
The biggest achievement of Collins’ career came with her 1975 recording of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” the lead single from her album, Judith, which sold over 1,000,000 copies. In 2017, Collins’ rendition of “Amazing Grace” was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Her most recent studio album is 2022’s Spellbound — her first-ever studio recording of all original material — which earned her a seventh Grammy nomination.
Richard Thompson, a Grammy Award-nominee, holds a coveted spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” As a teen, he joined the band, Fairport Convention, where he developed into an outstanding guitarist and budding songwriter. Later, he performed as half of the British folk rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson.
As a songwriter, Thompson’s compositions have been covered by artists as diverse as The Blind Boys of Alabama, David Byrne, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Don Henley, Robert Plant, The Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, and REM. Time magazine included Thompson’s anthem, “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” on its list of the “100 Greatest Songs Since 1923.”
Inside the historic Ocean City Music Pier auditorium, the crowd cheers as Richard Thompson, 77, takes the stage and opens tonight’s show with “I Misunderstood.” After singing, “I thought she was saying good luck/She was saying goodbye/I misunderstood,” Thompson rhythmically strums his guitar on this moody slow rocker.
The crowd applauds and Thompson responds, “It’s nice to see you all here!” before launching into his 1969 Fairport Convention tune, “Genesis Hall,” where he sings with passion on this slow protest song in waltz time.
Segueing into his composition, “Valerie,” Thompson makes his guitar sound like a complete rock band. Toes tap and heads bop as Thompson solos with style to the rocker’s driving beat before the crowd reacts with animated whistles and cheers.
Talking about human history, Thompson mentions “the bad people in the world” prior to joking, “I can’t think of any contemporary examples.” Then, stepping into “Pharaoh” he cries, “We’re all living in Egypt land/Tell me, brother, don’t you understand?/We’re all working for the Pharaoh,” on this dirge-like story song.
Announcing, “It’s your turn to sing now!” Thompson teaches the audience the chorus of his sea chanty, “Johnny’s Far Away,” where the rollicking tune sails away as the audience sings, “Johnny’s far away on the rolling sea,” to avid cheers and applause.
As he retunes his guitar, Thompson jokes, “I know what you’re all thinking: ‘Let’s learn some more sea chanties to sing at home!’” After telling the audience about having to walk home ten miles after hearing up-and-coming musicians performing in London as a teen, he marches into the bouncy folk-rocker, “Walking the Long Miles Home.”
Fans cheer as Thompson declares, “It’s such a joy to be a part of Judy’s final tour,” before shifting into his classic composition, “1952 St. Vincent Black Lightning.” Picking fast and furiously on his guitar, Thompson croons, “Said Red Molly to James, ‘That’s a fine motorbike/A girl could feel special on any such like’/Said James to Red Molly, ‘My hat’s off to you/It’s a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952,’” on this captivating folk story song which inspires a standing ovation.
Thompson thanks listeners and mentions an EP of his which “no one bought” prior to skipping into the rhythmic “If I Could Live My Life Again.” After crooning, “I pound the pavement always wishing/Whether I would live my life again,” he expertly renders a bluesy rock guitar solo.
Thompson sings with power as he strums his guitar on the folk ballad, “Down Where the Drunkards Roll,” before treating the audience to a new song, “Cocaine Walkin’, Booze Talkin’,” where he energetically sings and plays to the driving rock beat.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Thompson reveals, “I have time for one more,” as he steps into an expressive and lovely rendition of “The Dimming of the Day.” Crooning on this lovely ballad, “When all my will is gone you hold me sway/I need you at the dimming of the day,” Thompson’s performance evokes yet another standing ovation from the crowd.
Following a short intermission, fans applaud as Judy Collins takes the stage along with pianist Will Kjeer and pedal steel guitarist Thad DeBrock. Strumming on a 12-string guitar, Collins opens with her 1968 hit, “Both Sides Now,” singing with flair and breathing new life into the folk tune’s famous “I’ve looked at life from both sides now” lyric.
The crowd cheers when Collins jokes, “I’m the Betty White of folk music. I just turned 87!” After telling a story about Leonard Cohen and leading the audience in an a cappella rendition of “Suzanne,” DeBrock’s steel pedal guitar accompanies Collins on “Diamonds and Rust.” Her soprano voice cries out, “Ten years ago I bought you some cufflinks/You brought me something/We both know what memories can bring/They bring diamonds and rust,” on this haunting Joan Baez folk ballad.
Collins talks about her early experiences singing on her dad’s radio show before performing “Girl from Colorado,” where Kjeer’s cascading piano underscores Collins’ passionate vocal as she croons, “When I was a girl in Colorado/I could conquer anything,” on this Americana folk tune.
Collins tells the audience how, many years ago, Al Kooper of Blood, Sweat and Tears introduced her to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” before Djeer’s gently rolling piano introduces Joni Mitchell’s “River.” Collins’ compelling vocal sounds like a lullaby as she sings, “It’s coming on Christmas/They’re cutting down trees/They’re putting up reindeer/And singing songs of joy and peace,” accompanied by DeBrock’s crying pedal steel guitar.
Collins talks about meeting John Denver prior to performing a medley of two of his most famous compositions, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” where the audience nostalgically sings along with Judy.
Fans cheer and Collins acknowledges, “I wanted to do something different,” before reading “O’Keeffe,” an original poem from Sometimes It’s Heaven, a volume of poetry she recently published.
Collins skillfully accompanies herself on piano on “New Moon Over the Hudson” where she vocalizes, “There’s a new moon over the Hudson/And the stars are shining bright/And I think about my true love in Ireland tonight,” on this Celtic folk song.
A highlight of the evening is Collins’ performance of her 1975 hit, “Send in the Clowns.” Conveying the sentiment of the lyric, she croons “Where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns,” as Kjeer and DeBrock masterfully accompany her on piano and pedal steel guitar.
The audience responds with a standing ovation, after which the trio takes a bow on this Sondheim classic.
Collins invites Richard Thompson back onto the stage to join her for an encore of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.” After Collins chants, “Before the winter fire, we’ll still be dreaming/I do not count the time,” Thompson joins in singing harmony on the melancholy “Who knows where the time goes/Who knows where the time goes” chorus of this 1969 Fairport Convention folk-rock tune.
To conclude tonight’s show, Collins invites the audience to join her and Thompson on an a cappella rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Fans sing along on the well-known “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound/That saved a wretch like me” lyric before segueing into an a cappella version of Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” where Collins hands out flowers to audience members before taking a bow to animated cheers and applause.
For more information on Judy Collins, please go to judycollins.com. To learn more about Richard Thompson, please go to richardthompson-music.com. For info on great upcoming concerts at Ocean City Music Pier — including The Happy Together Tour on August 3, The Outlaws plus Duane Betts and Palmetto Motel on August 10, Todd Rundgren on August 11, The Indigo Girls on August 17, The Temptations on August 18, and 10,000 Maniacs on August 24 — please go to ocnj.us.
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