ALLEN COLLINS SMOKES JOINT WITH JO JO AT LYNYRD SKYNYRD RIVERSIDE STUDIO

UP FOR AUCTION IS this * PHOTO I TOOK OF JO JO BILLINGSLEY PASSING A JOINT TO ALLEN COLLINS . ALSO IN PHOTO IS TOUR MANAGER FROM PETER RUDGE OFFICE SALLY ARNOLD AT LYNYRD SKYNYRD RIVERSIDE STUDIO IN JACKSONVILLE , FLORIDA IN 1977 ** 8 X 10 * BLACK & WHITE GLOSSY* From Craig Reed's 40 Year Roadie LYNYRD SKYNYRD Survivor Collection ** FYI .. Allen Collins & Jo Jo became Much more than just friends and band mates . Enough SaidAllen Collins Allen Collins Background information Birth name Larkin Allen Collins, Jr. Born ( 1952-07-19 ) July 19, 1952Jacksonville, Florida , U.S. Died January 23, 1990 ( 1990-01-23 ) (aged 37)Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. Genres Southern rock Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter Instruments Guitar Years active 1964--1986 Associated acts Lynyrd Skynyrd , The Rossington-Collins Band , The Allen Collins BandLarkin Allen Collins Jr. [1] [2] [3] (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 . He was born in Jacksonville, Florida .Contents 1 Personal life 2 Musical career 3 Accident, band reunions and death 4 Instruments 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksPersonal lifeCollins started playing guitar at 12 years old, with a few lessons from his stepmother, Leila Collins, a country and western guitarist, teaching him a few notes, and receiving his first guitar and amplifier from his father after a falling-out between the two. Collins also attended Nathan B. Forrest High School . [4] In 1970, Collins married Kathy Johns. All of his bandmates were in his wedding party, but Kathy worried that the band's long haired appearance would disturb her parents. To solve this problem, she required all the band members to keep their hair under wigs at the wedding ceremony. The wedding reception was one of the first public performances of " Free Bird " complete with the trademark extended guitar jam at the end. Collins's family grew with the birth of his daughter Amie, followed quickly by Allison.Musical careerAllen Collins joined Skynyrd in Jacksonville, Florida just two weeks after Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington , along with Bob Burns and Larry Junstrom . 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 he 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"). Tragedy struck again just as the Rossington Collins Band was getting off the ground. In 1980, during the first days of the debut concert tour, Collins's wife, Kathy, suddenly died of a hemorrhage during the miscarriage of their third child. This forced the tour's cancellation. With the lingering effects of losing his friends in the plane crash, Kathy's death devastated Collins. The Rossington-Collins Band disbanded in 1982. Collins continued to pursue music, starting the Allen Collins Band , which released one album, Here, There & Back in 1983. The six 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 tried to resurrect the band, hiring Jacksonville guitarist Mike Owings and bassist Andy Ward King. Later members included guitarist-vocalist Michael Ray FitzGerald and bassist... read more