Allen Collins Of Lynyrd Skynyrd Part 1

[dixona8997]

all these people trashing Allen !!! think of what he had been through!! wonder how you would feel if that was you !!! YOU WOULDNT EVEN BE NEARLY AS STRONG AS HE WAS!!

[mrcharle2u]

the best giuitar picker in this life and times we share

[dixona8997]

thats so sad!! I remember that,you could tell how bad he wanted to be theyre playing with the band!look at his earlier years he was so full of energy & strength & then theyre ....man ..

[jojojosmart]

Looks like he could still move his arms . Why didn't he play.

[Juicefani11]

@jojojosmart His fingers didn't work too well and the arms were weak.

[Juicefani11]

Damn, he was so young. Did he have children?

[princesspinkfloyd]

This guy was an addict. Nothing or no one could of saved him but himself-No plane crash, no car crashes, no deaths of his wife and of his girlfriend- But its very obvious to me as I watch this video & part 2 that I think he finally realizes that he fucked up&he wishes he had 1 more chance-without the booze & drugs-I think by him being in a wheelchair on stage in front of thousands & incapable of playing guitar is visibly painful-he now understands. His loss of playing guitar was that last nail.

[princesspinkfloyd]

Allen Collins-hands down one of the BEST guitarists EVER-I think it's very sad for how drugs & booze ran side by side with his God given talent- ultimately destroying himself.We all can sit here and say what a waste, he had it all, how sad, blah blah blah-But are any of us rock stars? We don't know what that life is like when u are around the money, the "friends", the dope day in & out, the temptations-it must be so easy to fall into that whole scene when u are famous & ppl are feeding it to u.

[wvClifton]

My impression--from everything I've read--is that Allen had precious little else in life but guitar, and when he lost that, he lost everything. Fuckin' sad.

[valleydreamin]

Can you blame him for getting drunk before being wheeled onto stage. I would have too. Allen Collins was one of the most gifted musicians in the world. RIP.

[Tomsouthrock]

Allen Collins live on baby..........

[Tomsouthrock]

Allin Collins live on baby..........

[ACDC7369]

the history of that band is just so depressing. theyve all died way too young

[EpiLesPaulJunior]

@ACDC7369 Agreed, except of course Gary Rossington, who's still playing. Must be weird for him, to take a look around while LS is playing Free Bird somewhere and notice that all the others are gone

[josh1988ist]

So sad... one of the most underrated guitarist out there. If he wouldn't have died so young he would have been up there with the greats. One of the saddest stories ever told.

[0505abab]

did he die or is he still a round?

[777notw]

@0505abab Sadly, Allen passed away on January 23, 1990 from chronic pneumonia, a complication of the paralysis suffered in the car accident.

[davemustainee2]

he's not drunk , he say's " I'm so choked up, I don't know what to say" .

[monkeys1954]

he is in the wheel chair because of a drunk driving accident.it was part of his punishment. he would talk to the audience before the show about drunk driving.

[OnaBoat2007]

So sad, makes me tear up. Allen your gone but def not forgotten. My favorite guitar player ever. See you on the other side one day.

[cndrkenny]

@OnaBoat2007 - Agreed. Very troubling ,and hard to watch.

God bless you and yours ,as well as Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fans everywhere.

I'll tell you one thing for sure -Every night when Ricky Medlocke is wailing out that

Even every day or night when I've been learning to solo for Freebird on my guitar ,I feel like Allen is their guiding my hands across that sweet fretboard .

they are all in a good place. Maybe this fuct up planet 's not worthy of their talent.

Good night ,God Bless.

[1BIGinfidel]

Collins and Rossington fed off one another the same way Don Felder and Joe Walsh did - and still do. The end result is much greater than the sum of parts could ever be. nitro .... and..... glycerin

[jtflyer]

Allen Collins is one of the top 5 guitarists of all time. A genius. Lived and died the life of a tourtured artist. Class act who made an awful drunkin mistake. If you ever have a chance search You-Tube for the 1975 BBC performance of free-bird and watch Collins as his gestures to try to spotlight and give credit to the other band members. Ronnie grabs Collins and Rossington by the shirts and pushes them up front facing the audience. Class act.

[cityslick007]

allen collins is one of the best southern rock guitarist of all time...no doubt. take it as a fact and move on.

[VergadoDelFundillo]

who the fuck is this hill billy? is he like don fransisco for the mexicans?

[SteveGaines]

I was there that night...

[lowijkvh]

He made his peace with GOD.He keeps saying blessing of his love to us all.God has a place in paradise for him forever.

[sandyRNdisco]

How sad, Allen Collins suffered from so much saddness after the plane crash. First his friends (band members), his wife and unborn, his girlfriend dying (car accident), and him being paralyzed never being able to play again to his untimely death at a yung age.

[wabankik]

I member seeing this excerpt during high school,I cried seeing Allen being proud and strong!

[nothingisasitseems88]

Man, it really sucks to see him like that -_-

[hjavgvm]

its so crazy seeing him like that. its a shame, a damn shame. rip

[g29er]

In 1986 he was in a car crash after a night of drinking. That crash resulted in the death his girlfriend and left him paralyzed from the waist down.

He was charged with man-slaughter,but as part of his plea he agreed to speak to audiences at Skynyrd concerts about he dangers of drunk driving.

Probably one of the most underrated guitar players of all time. Its sad to see him like this.

[Juicefani11]

Poor man. He was so sad when his girlfriend died, and he was paralyzed, AND he was charged with a man-slaughter. It's so sad to watch him there with a very white face and with a wheelchair. R.I.P Allen Collins. Life was kickin' him very hard.

[cndrkenny]

@g29er So sad indeed .Made me cry. Horrible ,and troubling to hear how his life played out after the plane crash. I hate to say it ,but the poor tortured soul woulda been better off if he died in the plane crash.

If not ,if only SOMEBODY ,ANYBODY woulda stopped him from drinking and driving the night he fucked himself up .

My fave guitar player of all time.

RIP Allen.

God bless LYNYRD SKYNYRD past and present ,and all you fellow fans .

[NeilFraudstrong]

@g29er

Totally. He looks like a broken man. It's so sad to see Allen like that. I'm a recent convert to Skynyrd (believe it or not, I couldn't stand them for years!). Allen is my favorite because we play the same guitar (Korina Explorer). All I can think of is what could have been had he not fallen into the trap of drugs and alcohol.

[alfonso790]

@g29er your wrong dude

he was a drunk

that girl wasn't his girlfriend it was just a girl that live with him that day he was tryng to get her out of her house but allen wasn't drivin he say it in his testomony

the only reason he survived the crash is because he got out of the car

your right he's the best guitarrist ever this world has ever seen

now he's finally at peace

[Amirmal87]

He survived the air crash but died from chronic pneumonia about 19 years ago

[lynyrdSkynyrd9100]

yes he survive he is in a wheelchair since a car crash

[vvebubu72]

actually hes been dead since 1990

[mrsgstd]

He died in 1990.

[addy93]

why is Allen in a wheel chair? Did he survive the Air crash? or?

[lsunationalchamps08]

allen's up in heaven playn his solo to freebird!!!

R.I.P. Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, Billy Powell, and Leon Wilkeson!!

-The greatest band of all-time!!

[Groooveboy]

your all right lsunationalchamps08

[lsunationalchamps08]

thanks

[awesomelink]

Allen Collins founded Roll For Rock Wheelchair Events and Benefit Concerts before he passed away. His dream was to use music to raise awareness about physical challenges. Please visit online for more information or to volunteer.

[skynyrdrocksss]

It's so sad what happened to this man. My hero. But his spirit will long live on.

[butterflybabe666]

yeah he just seemed to be ill fated didnt he, thats always the way he was an amazing musician

[motleyxguns]

long live the spirit of the great allen collins

[KarmicOmen]

There was a lot of brotherly love between band members -- it was very obvious all the time that there was a bond than ran so deep! Look at the love on Gary Rossington's face toward his "brother" Allen! Powerful!

[SteveGaines]

I was there...That night at the Volunteer Jam..His dad wheeled him out ...I saw the Allen Collins band in 1983...R/C had just split..his wife had died...and Collins was out of control...Molly Hatchett brought him out to jam on Crossroads..and he trashed the stage after the song...So when I heard he had his wreck a couple of years later I was SAD but wasn't surprised...He was on a spiral to leave this world..Sad, Sad indeed...

[threetonesb]

RIP You are my hero....

[Jimiimij]

Thank God we have the Music. It is real music. A real band and such a tragedy for all. LONG LIVE SKYNYRD.

[TonyBeazley]

Saw Allen do this in Nashville on that tour....been so long not sure if this was that night or not.....hard to watch this...tragic ....

[1divaaa]

so fking sad dude. gezez. he was so amazing.  he lived such a tragic life but damn did he live it. RIP you wonderful wonderful man. you inspired countless people.

[BackwoodsmanVA]

My favorite guitar player of all time!

[andysott]

alcohol is death.

[flargmuffin92]

He sounds drunk, my dad saw them during the tribute tour in the late 80s and they wheel'd him out on stage and he said exactly the same thin in this video there, he thought he was drunk there too. No intention of dissing, just sad to see what he had to go through during his final years :( he was one hell of a guitarist, RIP ALLEN, and Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, and Leon for that matter too, your all legends in my book.

[roysteinar]

he was drunk, he says it in the beginning

[1divaaa]

he said he was choked up not f'd up. obviously he was trashed but watch the vid again.

[flargmuffin92]

ahh...sounded like he said choked up :P

[bluyota88]

@roysteinar He said he was so choked up he really don't know what to say...

[NeilFraudstrong]

@roysteinar

I can't even imagine how hard that must have been for him. I see a tormented man in this video.  So much tragedy in his life. The plane crash, his wife dying, estranged from his children, the accident, very sad man...

Was that his dad behind him?

[frozenfarm]

@roysteinar he said "I'm so teared up:"

[Juicefani11]

@flargmuffin92 In my book too. I hope they're fine in heaven. The world did dirty tricks to all of them. Especially Allen.

[777notw]

@flargmuffin92 The irony in this, if he was drunk, is that the whole reason that they would bring him out in the wheelchair was so that he could speak about driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. It's just sad.

[jacksonvilleslim]

@flargmuffin92 Allen Collins was NOT drunk during this show. He was very emotional because of losing his ability to play guitar and had to watch the band that he put back together, from the sidelines. Allen Collins was one of the GREATEST rock and roll guitar players in history!!! I was fortunate enough to have played guitar with Allen in The Allen Collins Band in 1984 prior to Allen reforming Lynyrd Skynyrd with Gary. Have some respect.

[bandainsonica]

@jacksonvilleslim I have got to believe that God had greater plans. He has to be putting up a hell of a band in the sky. Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Jimi Hendrix, John Bonham, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and many other great musicians gone too soon. We just have to thank them for making history with their songs for us to appreciate for all eternity. Long live Rock n' Roll.

[rabarbor]

so sad.. =( R.I.P. Allen Collins!

[grumpydave69]

I am so glad that I got to see Allen Collins play. RIP

[MyTymeBand08]

I'm not trying to be boring, but to let you guys know....This was at a Charlies Daniels volunter Jam, and Charlie Daniels is holding the mic. Grinderswitch was there. God their guitar player was begging everybody around us if we wanted an autograph. Best surprise was Stevie Ray Vaughn walked out and busted some ass! Great White played too! Sorry for all this info guys, but Allen Collins means alot to me, and this vid is one of the last things we'll have from him.

[HarryBarber08]

Don't be sorry, heck thanks for the info.

[MyTymeBand08]

Thanks man, That night was one I'll never forget.

[MyTymeBand08]

I watched Allen on the side of the stage when they were going into MCA. He just looked at them and kind of flipped his arms up and shook his head. You could tell he really wanted to be out there. He snapped his fingers together at some older guy behind him, and that guy lit a cig for him and gave it to him. Then Allen looked at Rossington and kind of raised his hands again....it seemed it was kind of him saying "WTF, why aren't I out there." It was sad, and I didn't expect it.

[MyTymeBand08]

I was there. It was at Starwood in Tenn. It was sad. Hell of it is, my buddy and I had press passes, which means we were close to the stage. I went to get a beer, and when I get back to my seat my friend tells me Allen came out in a wheelchair and talked! I was shocked! We drove 5 hours to see them. I had no idea Collins was hurt! I never knew waht he said till I saw it on here. It was late summer 1987 and the place was sold out. I remember Johnny VanZant looked kind of nervous.

[skankspankr]

I didnt know Allen was injured either, when they played on Knoxville (probably around the same time as Nashvlle), and he was listed in the concert promo ad along with the others. I also got to see Rossington Collins Band twice, but missed the original Skyrnrd in Aug '77. I was 12 and mom said I was too young, but my brother went. Mom finally relented and let me go see AC/DC in Nov '77. Nobody even knew who AC/DC was, and it only cost $3, with UFO as an opener!

[MyTymeBand08]

First concert I saw was Aerosmith on the "Bootleg" tour in 78'. I think I was in 10th grade. The opening band was "StarCastle?" After that band played, a girl sitting by us told her friend that she was pissed because the opening act for the Aerosmith tour was scheduled to be AC/DC. I didn't know what the hell she was talking about....We'd never heard of AC/DC. I'm taking my son and his friend to see AC/DC soon. He's in 9th grade and can't wait!

[skankspankr]

I saw AC/DC 3 times with Bon Scott singing. Never liked them as much with Brian Johnson, whom I still consider "the new guy"! LOL

[AugieDog6]

this is so sad. lynyrd skynyrd's had such a tough 35 years. and they're still the greatest band ever (in my humble opinion)

[PooPoo2U]

man, it really takes seeing your hero like this to draw tears from a hardass like myself...

[heavyrock17]

allen collins R.I.P.

[southernman517]

rest in peace Allen Collins. the guy had some amazing talent. especially when he would jump up in the air during free bird. he really was an amazing guy.

[elibeli2595]

indeed, RIP

[blueswilly56]

R.I.P. Allen Collins

[jonford57]

happy birthday alleni wish you here on earth real bad jumping around on stage never will forget you see you in the next life 07 19 08 friend from the 70s

[epiphone4life4]

aLlen collins is definitely my favorite guitarist and one of the best of all time. he has been one of the biggest inspirations for me to pursue the same goal he had: to make great music.

May god bless him and every other skynyrd member past and present

[jonford57]

4th row center waiting for allen to step out on stage no allen at that time they didnt want say anything some guy took allens place Allen wrote the material this guy ive never seen before acts like he is working mca just like ronnie would sing ronnie said do your own material

[Bydand22]

Sorry, but I cannot believe some of the poison written onto some of these pages. How can you mock someone's affliction? How can you derive pleasure denegrating the work and lives of others? Very sad.

[sphinkterclinch87]

dude you got it i agree with everything you said fly on

[Cakid88]

didnt allen collins die in the plane crash?!

[clayp72]

Nope. He did have a lot of injuries and the doctors wanted to amputate one his arms but his father refused to let them do it. Thank God for that. He had a bad car crash in 86 that paralized him and he died of pneumonia in 1990.

[easyrider4life]

i wish i could get to you mutha fucker!

[kellyuk7]

The #1 fans and # 1 family is billy brown joe brown ,kelly brown,danny brown,little jerry bryson,dennis,r.i.p.uncle timmy,danny,buzzy'grandma,big jerry..grandpa brown we miss ya..love kellybean

[kellyuk7]

who is that holding the mic bill said its not charlie daniels....not his dad behind him but the guy beside him

[kellyuk7]

btw if any1 has any pictures of skynyrd in louisville gardens or rossington collins we wanna see em...except that dick smoker who talk shit about allen

[kellyuk7]

My uncle bill shook allens hand@louisville gardens in 80.he seen the scar on his arm

[kellyuk7]

your a fucking punk 4 talking dhit about allen ya fucking dick smoker..to the guy vergadodelf or fag bitch

[VergadoDelFundillo]

do you guys know that allen collins was black once i heard that i grabbed my whole collection and threw it away! And i closed my children and wife in a closet where it can be safe from drive bys

[wf4516]

wow where did u get ur facts retard, the only person thats ever switched color is michael jackson! thats somebody whos safe to run into the closet with the wife and kids to hide from

[wareaglebabe11]

u can shut up now u bastard, allen collins was one of the greatest. go crawl in a hole and fk urself

[da324]

"i closed my children and wife in a closet where it can be safe from drive bys"

Your wife and kid's are called it's? That quite possibly is the most retarded post I've ever read. I feel sorry for your it's!

[TheHeadkicker]

How tall was he?

[feylerlh]

I love Allen Collins. But....this is what happens when drugs take over. Ronnie Van Zant knew it. "That Smell" saw this coming. Nuff Said.

[dancyn29]

Um, drugs and alcohol were a huge part in his crash, but speech and wheelchair were from the ,that killed his girlfriend and paralized him.

[wareaglebabe11]

u do know tht that smell was about rossigtons crash, "whisky bottles(he was drinkn), brand new cars(he just bought a new if im not mistake mustang), oaktree your in my way(he crashed into an oaktree.)" collins did crash at around the same time as rossington, but the song was about rossingtons.

[FREDDO2K7]

it wasnt about the same time gary crashed his car first then allen 10 years later in 86

[wareaglebabe11]

watch the interview series of the band, they both crashed at about the same time in the 70s, then allen crashed again in 86

[DeathSlayer97]

Allen Collins was an amazing guitar player.

R.I.P. Allen Collins. Rock In Peace Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[anitaskynyrdfan]

Allen's dream --Music 4 Peace -- Roll4Rock

ROCK IN PEACE FREE BIRD I LOVE YOU

[garrett2wayne]

R.I.P. Allen Collins

[oskie66skye]

though it's really sad,his legacy is eternal!!

[NZealandKiwi]

whoa ive never heard him speak, but he rocks!

[leehr777]

Man that is sad.

[Matt5581]

Though the suffering Allen suffered in this life was unbearable...he's now up with the Good Lord, Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, Dean, and Leon.

On just about everyone of Allen's autographs, he would sign it: "God Bless You. - Allen Collins."

Fly on you proud bird.

[gibsonluver666]

i just cant stop watching this video its is really sad i had sold a honda trx 450 r 05 model atv with m/m all over it to get an exporer same color with a whammy bar just like allens guitar i and i dont regret it all

with no payments and i have a gibson zach wild guitar a devlin wraith which was 400 buck and my favorite is the explorer r.i.p allen and dont drink and drive for your life and other peoples life

[Draugoth]

Amen brother.

[AllenCollins1]

very sad, :(

[AllenCollins1]

very sad, :(

[gibsonluver666]

sad so sad

[camperlawrence]

Allen was not just the guy who played the Freebird solo. He was a tasteful guitar player who also had an astounding sense of rythym and chord stucture. This is what I hear....even I, a non-musician. Not to speak for EC, I think Eric Clapton may even confer. The rockers on Layla & gimme back my bullets seemed to be joined at the hip. Both of them great records.

[camperlawrence]

Heartbreaking but somehow happy. This man took more on than most of us could ever fear happening.  He lost some of his friends while surviving a plane crash, and a few years later lost his wife during child-birth, and undoubtedly had to survive the guilt of a drunk driving accident that took the life of his girlfriend...and also paralyzed him. This is pretty close to JOB. Also do not want to downplay the loss of his girlfriend and her family members.

[sing1995]

Sorry dude, but the 1987 Skynyrd did not have Steve Gaines or Johnny. They were Skynyrd. The band was Johnny's, but he was giving the band more and more to Steve. He let steve sing on stage, a lot of Street Survivor was written by Steve. Steve Gaines was a musical genius and would have gone onto to so many incredible things if not for the crash. The reunion band has turned into a joke. The guys who are in the current Skynyrd should honestly change the name out of respect for Johnny and Steve....

[PooPoo2U]

man, if you're gonna leave comments, do your homework. "The guys who are in the current Skynyrd should honestly change the name out of respect for Johnny and Steve.... "

that comment in itself is remarkably idiotic. There was no Johnny in the band until Ronnie's younger brother joined, and Steve Gaines joined the band in 75, two years before the crash.

[lonelywan]

Hey poop, it doesn't really matter who's in the "the current Skynryd". My band took up where they left off. We even did an improved version of Sweet Home Alabama. Check out the vid at my youtube page.

Go ahead now, git goin'.

[mrsgstd]

Gaines joined the band in June 1976, not 1975. Gimme Back My Bullets was released in March 1976 and Gaines is not on it. He joined when they put the summer 1976 tour together. Great guitarist.

[sing1995]

Sorry dude, but the 1987 Skynyrd did not have Steve Gaines or Johnny. They were Skynyrd. The band was Johnny's, but he was giving the band more and more to Steve. He let steve sing on stage, a lot of Street Survivor was written by Steve. Steve Gaines was a musical genius and would have gone onto to so many incredible things if not for the crash. The reunion band has turned into a joke. The guys who are in the current Skynyrd should honestly change the name out of respect for Johnny and Steve....

[kellyuk7]

ya mean ronnie..jonny is his younger brother

[neby91]

Its so damn sad watching this video. When you watch all the old videos of him, all the energy and how good he was. I feel so bad for the way the last few years of his life went.

[neby91]

This is so hard to watch, watching all the old videos of him and all the energy he had, its such a shame the way his life had to be.

[miketheday]

Thanks for the memories Allen! I saw you in '75 and you were the best, I'll never forget! WOW..How can one group have so much bad luck happen to them? Allen survived the plane crash only to have the crazy car wreck. RIP brother, you spread millions of smiles! I get misty eyed watching the vids of Allen Collins now.

[TonyBeazley]

Hurts to see anyone like that but to see someone that you liked alot and admired and watched them jam on a guitar like no one else.....yeah it rips my heart out man..... next time any of your friends get drunk please don't let them drive...remember this video....they could end up like this...

Thanks Roy for the video...

[roysteinar]

your words are so true!

thanks for the comment!

[bobinfiler]

Allen was the soul of skynyrd, yueah

[TheDoorsFan1232]

man allen was tragically ill, this had to have been 1989 when this was recorded. so sad seeing him like that. he really deserved so much more in life. r.i.p. ronnie, allen, steve, cassie, and leon

[hxelix]

its the first time i hear his voice!!!

[pldigout]

Allen was the soul of skynyrd, i still get chills listening to the live album, almost 30yrs. later

[roysteinar]

Allen Was The Heart Of Skynyrd, Ronnnie Was The Soul!

[Laucian7]

...I'm just weeping .... seeing him god .... why did you call them back ... :( I need 'em

R.I.P Guys

...Let Skynyrd live on (from France)