Musical Career
Allen Collins joined Skynyrd in Jacksonville, Florida 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. On October 20, 1977, 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 (Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere, and This Is the Way), and charting a few singles (notably "Don't Misunderstand Me"). In 1980, Collins' wife Kathy suddenly died of a hemorrhage. The Rossington-Collins Band disbanded in 1982. Allen continued to pursue music, starting 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. In 1984, Collins reorganized The Allen Collins Band by hiring Jacksonville guitarist Mike Owings. After being dropped from MCA Records in the summer of 1984, Collins decided to reform Lynyrd Skynyrd and began recruiting former Lynyrd Skynyrd band members to reform as Lynyrd Skynyrd II. Free, Bad Company and The Firm lead vocalist Paul Rodgers was phoned to be the lead vocalist but had to decline due to three years left under contract with The Firm. Ronnie Van Zant's youngest brother Johnny was tapped to fulfill the position and continues as the frontman of Lynyrd Skynyrd to this day.
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