Left us on this day (Jan. 23) in 1990: Allen Collins (chronic pneumonia, age 37), best remembered as a founding guitarist & co-writer for cornerstone Southern Rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd; some of his best-known co-writes include That Smell, Free Bird & Gimme Three Steps; when many of his bandmates were killed in a 1977 plane crash, Allen went on to have success with The Rossington-Collins Band, including 1980 hit Don’t Misunderstand Me; in 1986, he caused a car accident that killed his girlfriend & left him paralyzed from the waist down; he accepted a plea that kept him out of jail, but had him (among other penalties) speak out against drunk driving at all future Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts; Allen founded Roll For Rock Wheelchair Events & Benefit Concerts in 1988 to raise awareness & to provide opportunities for those living with spinal cord injury & other physical challenges…
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 22:15:26 +0000