In these days, when people play fast and loose with truth for the purpose of personal gain at the expense of important things like rights, and even survival, I hope this episode, and the next one help us all regain a little sanity and peace.
Personal Truth takes you on a powerful journey through the birth of the singer-songwriter era, spotlighting artists who didn't just sing about the world—but cracked themselves wide open to show us their own. Starting in the fertile grounds of Greenwich Village’s folk revival, we trace Judy Collins’ leap from classical prodigy to folk icon, discover how her mentorship helped launch the poetic brilliance of Joni Mitchell, and explore how deeply personal songwriting reshaped the music landscape.
From the haunting honesty of Blue to the communal power of We Shall Overcome, and the electric turning points of Dylan and Elton at the Troubadour, this story is as much about music as it is about the courage to be vulnerable. These artists weren’t just performers—they were truth-tellers, risking emotional exposure to connect with something universal.
If you've ever been moved by a lyric that felt like it was written just for you, you’re already part of this legacy. Dive in and discover how raw truth, vulnerability, and fearless authenticity led American music in yet another bold direction.
In this Episode:
MUSIC
Jackson Brown: Lives in the Balance
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos
Judi Collins
- John Riley
- Barbara Allen
- Loch Lomond
- Both Sides Now
Joni Mitchell
- Both Sides Now
- The Circle Game
- Chelsea Morning
- Cactus (audience recording from The Troubadour)
- Car On a Hill
- Down to You
- River
- Lesson in Survival
Elton John - 60 Years On
INTERVIEWS
Judi Collins
Pete Seeger
Gordon Lightfoot
James Taylor
Elton John/ Joni Mitchell
Nigel Olsen
Links to Related Episodes
The Second Folk Revival: A Passing of the Torch.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1622638/episodes/10030031-the-second-folk-revival-a-passing-of-the-torch
1960’s Folk Music: How the Fire Spread
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1622638/episodes/10030131-1960-s-folk-music-how-the-fire-spread
The Other Side of Fusion: Jazz Rock
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1622638/episodes/12426684-the-other-side-of-fusion-jazz-rock
Join our community and continue your journey through American Song: Visit us on Facebook.
There, you'll get more information, video content, and more about the music and personalities covered in all our episodes.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.