***July 2015 will see Shirley Collins celebrate her 80th year—an age that would seem frankly ridiculous for a woman as spritely as her, had it not been for all she's achieved. From her seminal field-recording trip to America to her lauded musical career; from her role as historian and protector of the folk tradition, to the very fact that this record can exist—more than half a century after her career began—all of these things are testament to the breadth of her influence. And so we arrive at Shirley Inspired. It would be almost lazy to the talk about the resurgence of folk music or the 'new folk' sound—the recordings found here are so much more than that. This is the very essence of folk—songs handed down from person to person, interpreted by modern musicians—as a way of keeping these songs alive. Originally released on deluxe 3xLP, this CD version enjoys 12 more stunning interpretations. Features contributions from BITCHIN BONNIE BILLY BAJAS, TREMBLING BELLS, LEE RANALDO, ALASDAIR ROBERTS, GRAHAM COXON, MEG BAIRD, ANGEL OLSEN, JOSEPHINE FOSTER, NED OLDHAM, SALLY TIMMS WITH THE MINI MEKONS, SHARRON KRAUS, MV & EE, and many, many more. (STREET DATE - 7/17/2015)