Musician. He received international stardom as a guitarist and founding member of the 1970s Southern Rock band called "Lynyrd Skynyrd." Together with singer Ronnie Van Zant, he co-wrote many of the band's hit songs to include "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" in 1974, "That Smell" in 1977 and reaching #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, "Free Bird," which was featured on the 1973 debut album, "(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)". After the band's fateful plane crash on October 20, 1977, which he survived but killed six, he stayed with the group's remaining members until 1980, when he formed his own group "The Rossington Collins Band." Although he survived the crash, he fractured two cervical vertebras and mangled his right arm to the point that amputation was considered. The band toured and released the albums "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere" in 1980, "This is the Way" in 1981 and as the Allen Collins Band, "Here, There and Back" in 1983. On January 29, 1986, he was involved, as the driver, in a one-car accident, killing a passenger. From this accident, he was paralyzed from the waist down with limited arm movement and impaired respiratory function. Since he was under the influence of alcohol while driving, he pled no contest to vehicle manslaughter. In 1987, the tenth anniversary of the fatal "Lynyrd Skynyrd" plane crash, a tribute tour began, but he could not perform as a member of the band due to his injuries, yet was credited as musical director. Due to his paralysis, he left the tour in 1989 and after months in the hospital, he died of pneumonia at age 37. He married Kathy Collins in 1970, the couple had two children and on September 19, 1980, his wife died from a miscarriage-related hemorrhage. In October 2003, Gibson Guitars honored Allen by launching a limited-edition Allen Collins Gibson Explorer electric guitar. Remembered for his guitar solo performances, he was posthumously inducted in 2006 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of "Lynyrd Skynyrd."
Musician. He received international stardom as a guitarist and founding member of the 1970s Southern Rock band called "Lynyrd Skynyrd." Together with singer Ronnie Van Zant, he co-wrote many of the band's hit songs to include "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" in 1974, "That Smell" in 1977 and reaching #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, "Free Bird," which was featured on the 1973 debut album, "(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)". After the band's fateful plane crash on October 20, 1977, which he survived but killed six, he stayed with the group's remaining members until 1980, when he formed his own group "The Rossington Collins Band." Although he survived the crash, he fractured two cervical vertebras and mangled his right arm to the point that amputation was considered. The band toured and released the albums "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere" in 1980, "This is the Way" in 1981 and as the Allen Collins Band, "Here, There and Back" in 1983. On January 29, 1986, he was involved, as the driver, in a one-car accident, killing a passenger. From this accident, he was paralyzed from the waist down with limited arm movement and impaired respiratory function. Since he was under the influence of alcohol while driving, he pled no contest to vehicle manslaughter. In 1987, the tenth anniversary of the fatal "Lynyrd Skynyrd" plane crash, a tribute tour began, but he could not perform as a member of the band due to his injuries, yet was credited as musical director. Due to his paralysis, he left the tour in 1989 and after months in the hospital, he died of pneumonia at age 37. He married Kathy Collins in 1970, the couple had two children and on September 19, 1980, his wife died from a miscarriage-related hemorrhage. In October 2003, Gibson Guitars honored Allen by launching a limited-edition Allen Collins Gibson Explorer electric guitar. Remembered for his guitar solo performances, he was posthumously inducted in 2006 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of "Lynyrd Skynyrd."
Bio by: Linda Davis
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ALL MY LOVE FOREVER
FOR MY BABY DOLL
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