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Allen Collins

Allen Collins

Born: July 19, 1952
Died: January 23, 1990
in Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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. In 1970, Allen married Kathy Johns. All of his band mates were in his wedding party, but Kathy worried that the band's long haired appearance would disturb her parents. To solve this problem it required all the band member's to keep their rock and roll image under wigs at the wedding ceremony. The wedding reception was one of the first public performances of "Freebird" complete with the trademark extended guitar jam at the end. Allen's family grew with the birth of his daughter Amie and, followed quickly by Allison. 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. In 1986, Collins was involved in a car accident, claiming the life of his girlfriend and leaving the guitarist paralyzed from the waist down, with limited use of his arms and hands. Collins pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. He would never play guitar on-stage again. In 1986, Collins was involved in a car accident, claiming the life of his girlfriend and leaving the guitarist paralyzed from the waist down, with limited use of his arms and hands. Collins pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. He would never play guitar on-stage again. Allen Collins died January 23, 1990 from chronic pneumonia, a complication of the paralysis. He is buried beside his wife in Jacksonville, Florida.

Movies for Allen Collins...

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Knebworth '76
Title: Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Knebworth '76
Character: Self
Released: April 9, 2021
Type: Movie
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On August 21st, 1976, Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage at Knebworth Park in England as part of a daylong festival that also included among others Todd Rundgren's Utopia, 10cc and headliners The Rolling Stones. With Ronnie Van Zandt's all-in vocals and their famed triple guitar attack featuring Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered an electric performance in front of a crowd estimated between 150,000 and 200,000, which has gone down as one of the band's greatest performances.
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If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd
Title: If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd
Character: Himself
Released: March 13, 2018
Type: Movie
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The story of Lynyrd Skynyrd; The Greatest American Rock Band Ever. We fly beyond Free Bird to celebrate the life & times of leader Ronnie Van Zant, from boogie-woogie beginnings in Jacksonville’s Shantytown to a tragic end in a Mississippi swamp.
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Freebird: The Movie
Title: Freebird: The Movie
Character: Himself
Released: January 1, 1996
Type: Movie
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See classic live performances, interviews and vintage footage of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd band.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Winterland 1976
Title: Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Winterland 1976
Character: himself
Released: March 4, 1976
Type: Movie
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Lynyrd Skynyrd took to the stage at Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA on March 7th, 1976, while the band was in the midst of promoting their new album 'Gimme Back My Bullets.'
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Lynyrd Skynyrd : Live at Winterland 1975
Title: Lynyrd Skynyrd : Live at Winterland 1975
Character: himself
Released: April 27, 1975
Type: Movie
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By the time Lynyrd Skynyrd played this sold-out show at San Francisco's Winterland ballroom on April 7th, 1975, they had become the unmistakable kings of Southern Rock. Spearheaded by charismatic frontman, Ronnie Van Zant, the group had taken southern boogie from the swamps and brought it to the masses. There is an enormous amount of energy and power in the multiple guitar mix of the band, and that is clearly apparent when they launch into solos on these songs. The group was coming off two hugely successful albums, its debut (pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd) and 1974's Second Helping, and they had recently replaced original drummer Bob Burns with Artimus Pyle. It was recorded during the band's tour promoting their 1975 album, Nuthin' Fancy, and it features Lynyrd Skynyrd at the top of their game. It was also one of the last shows featuring their original three-guitar lineup, as Ed King left the band midway through the tour.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd: The Old Grey Whistle Test
Title: Lynyrd Skynyrd: The Old Grey Whistle Test
Character: Himself
Released: January 1, 1975
Type: Movie
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Bob Harris presents a concert by the southern rockers, recorded in Shepherd's Bush, London for Old Grey Whistle Test on November 11th, 1975.
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Big Deal in Laredo
Title: Big Deal in Laredo
Character: Jason Crawford
Released: October 7, 1962
Type: Movie
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A timid man with money problems gets into a big card game with some high-rollers.
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