Larkin Allen Collins Jr. (July 19, 1952 – January 23, 1990) was one of the … Read Full Bio ↴Larkin Allen Collins Jr. (July 19, 1952 – January 23, 1990) was one of the founding members and guitarists of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and co-wrote many of the band's songs with late frontman Ronnie Van Zant.
Musical Career
Allen Collins joined Skynyrd from the South just two weeks after Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington, along with Bob Burns and Larry Junstrom. So came the birth of Lynyrd Skynyrd in the summer of 1964. Allen Collins and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant co-wrote many of the biggest Skynyrd hits, including "Free Bird", "Gimme Three Steps", and "That Smell". The band received national success beginning in 1973 while opening for The Who on their Quadrophenia tour. The Skynyrd plane crashed into a forest in Mississippi killing three band members, including Van Zant. Collins was seriously injured in the crash, suffering two broken vertebrae in his neck and severe damage to his right arm. While amputation was recommended, Collins' father refused and Allen eventually recovered.
During the early 1980s, Collins continued to perform on stage in the Rossington-Collins Band which enjoyed modest success, releasing two albums (Here, There & Back, This Is The Way), and charting a few singles (notably "Don't Misunderstand Me"). In 1980, Collins' wife Kathy suddenly died of a hemorrhage following a miscarriage. Allen began a downward spiral, using drugs and alcohol to asuage his grief. Missed concerts and conflicts within the band resulted in the disbanding of Rossington-Collins in 1982, and the start of the Allen Collins Band, which released one album, "Here, There & Back" in 1983. The six band members were Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell and Bassist Leon Wilkeson, along with lead singer Jimmy Dougherty, drummer Derek Hess, and guitarists Barry Lee Harwood and Randall Hall.
Accident and Band Reunion
In 1986 a car accident killed Collins' girlfriend and left the guitarist paralyzed from the waist down, with limited use of his arms and hands. Collins plead no contest to vehicular manslaughter as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. He would never play guitar on-stage again.
All remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited to perform in 1987, but due to his injury Collins was only able to participate as musical director. As part of his plea bargain for the 1986 accident, Collins addressed fans at every Skynyrd concert with an explanation of why he could not perform, citing the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as drugs and alcohol. Because of Collins' accident, the band donated a sizable amount of concert proceeds from the 1987-88 tour to the Miami Project, which is involved in treatment of paralysis. He founded Roll For Rock Wheelchair Events and Benefit Concerts in 1988 to raise awareness and to provide oportunities for those living with spinal cord injury and other physical challenges.
Death
Allen Collins died January 23, 1990 from chronic pneumonia, a complication of the paralysis. He is buried beside his wife in Jacksonville, Florida.
Musical Career
Allen Collins joined Skynyrd from the South just two weeks after Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington, along with Bob Burns and Larry Junstrom. So came the birth of Lynyrd Skynyrd in the summer of 1964. Allen Collins and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant co-wrote many of the biggest Skynyrd hits, including "Free Bird", "Gimme Three Steps", and "That Smell". The band received national success beginning in 1973 while opening for The Who on their Quadrophenia tour. The Skynyrd plane crashed into a forest in Mississippi killing three band members, including Van Zant. Collins was seriously injured in the crash, suffering two broken vertebrae in his neck and severe damage to his right arm. While amputation was recommended, Collins' father refused and Allen eventually recovered.
During the early 1980s, Collins continued to perform on stage in the Rossington-Collins Band which enjoyed modest success, releasing two albums (Here, There & Back, This Is The Way), and charting a few singles (notably "Don't Misunderstand Me"). In 1980, Collins' wife Kathy suddenly died of a hemorrhage following a miscarriage. Allen began a downward spiral, using drugs and alcohol to asuage his grief. Missed concerts and conflicts within the band resulted in the disbanding of Rossington-Collins in 1982, and the start of the Allen Collins Band, which released one album, "Here, There & Back" in 1983. The six band members were Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell and Bassist Leon Wilkeson, along with lead singer Jimmy Dougherty, drummer Derek Hess, and guitarists Barry Lee Harwood and Randall Hall.
Accident and Band Reunion
In 1986 a car accident killed Collins' girlfriend and left the guitarist paralyzed from the waist down, with limited use of his arms and hands. Collins plead no contest to vehicular manslaughter as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. He would never play guitar on-stage again.
All remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited to perform in 1987, but due to his injury Collins was only able to participate as musical director. As part of his plea bargain for the 1986 accident, Collins addressed fans at every Skynyrd concert with an explanation of why he could not perform, citing the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as drugs and alcohol. Because of Collins' accident, the band donated a sizable amount of concert proceeds from the 1987-88 tour to the Miami Project, which is involved in treatment of paralysis. He founded Roll For Rock Wheelchair Events and Benefit Concerts in 1988 to raise awareness and to provide oportunities for those living with spinal cord injury and other physical challenges.
Death
Allen Collins died January 23, 1990 from chronic pneumonia, a complication of the paralysis. He is buried beside his wife in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Legend Lives On
Allen Collins Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'The Legend Lives On' by these artists:
Nocturnal Rites "Look at me, I am a dying man. My son, I…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Allen Collins:
Free Bird If I leave here tomorrow Would you still remember me? For …
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Nina Mc
Most underrated rock guitarist ever. Allen’s sound was unmistakable. I wish he’d had a longer career. RIP Allen
Rich rocken4uj
Amen
Daniel Hall
Among the people who play he is definitely not underrated he is held in the highest esteem
Allen McDonald
Same with Gaines
Lorrie Trujillo
8⁸8⁸⁸⁸⁸98⁸I 698⁸⁸⁹
Cassie O
I've always been saddened the most by the many tragedies of the Skynyrd crew. More so than any other artists. I always wish we could go back in time and undue so many of these things.
Doug Ford
Many have said over the years, the airplane crash killed Allen as well. It just took longer for him to die from the injuries. RIP.
Tom Acosta
Regardless of the inaccuracies. Allen Collins is the most underrated rock guitarist on the planet. Great Songs riffs solos energy all from the heart. Its clear his heart was broken when his wife died. On stage he was a force I wouldn't cut heads with.
Gary Ginther
@Tom Acosta Allen bought that 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer in 1976 for right around $3,000, which is the equivalent of about $14,000 in 2021 dollars. But apparently it was still a steal. "The 1958–1959 Korina Explorer is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #4 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar, worth between $250,000 and $300,000." Today that guitar sits with Gary Rossington's '57 Les Paul "Bernice" in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland next to Duane Allman's Les Paul. (His original "Freebird" 1961 SG is at his house.)
What I would also like to see are Allen's Gibson Firebirds. According to Christies: "Collins used four different 1964 Firebirds over this period; his first Firebird I, the most extensively modified, and two Firebird III’s acquired circa 1974/1975. At the end of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Boston show on 7th April, 1976, Collins destroyed the third Firebird, throwing the pieces into the audience. The day before the next show in New York on 10th April, roadie Joe Barnes located another Firebird I, Collins fourth Firebird, and spent the day setting it up like the others, installing a dog-eared P90 pick up at the bridge, moving the stock mini humbucker at the neck and swapping out the stock combination tailpiece for a vibrato. As the standard Firebird I was a single pickup model, Barnes told us I had to route the cavity for the neck pickup. The wiring channels for the switch and the second pick up were routed at the factory and concealed under the pickguard.
We can surmise that the fourth Firebird was used on stage from 10th April onwards. Photographs exist of Collins using the fourth Firebird as his stage guitar for a show in Florida in late July, and during the recording of Skynyrd’s live album One More for the Road at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta on 7-9th July 1976. This guitar closely matches the wood grain of Collins’ fourth Firebird, with its distinctive double stripe down the centre of the body. There are signs that this guitar was modified twice, with existing screw holes closely matching the location of the pickups and tailpiece seen on the fourth Firebird following Barnes’ original modification. The addition of a third strap button at the base of the neck matches another Collins modification that we see on at least two of his other Firebird’s, likely to counter a balance problem.
At some point after the mixing sessions for the live album on 9th August, the fourth Firebird was retired as Collins’ main stage guitar. By the next time there is any photographic record of the band, at their legendary performance at Knebworth on 21st August, Collins is playing the Gibson Explorer, which became his primary stage guitar from then on, the Firebird relegated to a spare. It is not clear when the fourth Firebird could have been re-modified with the DiMarzio pickups and Vibrola tailpiece. Barnes left the band in November 1976 and roadie Craig Reed has no recollection of this modification. Reed recalls, however, that Skynyrd signed an endorsement deal with DiMarzio at this time, so it is possible the guitar was set up for Collins to test the DiMarzio pickups in early 1977."
(Footnote: The original Firebirds tended to have snapped headstocks due to ill-fitting cases.)
Chris Campbell
Allen was the quintessential American blues rock guitar player.