Allen Collins

Allen Collins became a key member of Lynyrd Skynyrd in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, joining founding members Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Bob Burns, and Larry Junstrom. As a vital contributor to the band's songwriting, Collins co-penned several of their most iconic tracks, including "Free Bird," "Gimme Three Steps," and "That Smell." Lynyrd Skynyrd gained national prominence in 1973 while serving as an opening act for The Who during their Quadrophenia tour.

In 1970, Collins married Kathy Johns, with his bandmates participating in the wedding. To appease Kathy's parents, the group humorously donned wigs to maintain a more conventional appearance during the ceremony. The reception featured one of the first live performances of "Free Bird," showcasing its famous extended guitar solo.

Tragedy struck on October 20, 1977, when a plane crash in Mississippi claimed the lives of three band members, including Van Zant, and left Collins with severe injuries, including broken vertebrae and significant damage to his right arm. Despite medical recommendations for amputation, his father insisted on alternative treatment, and Collins eventually regained mobility.

However, in 1986, disaster struck again when Collins was involved in a car accident that resulted in the death of his girlfriend and left him paralyzed from the waist down. He pled no contest to charges of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. Allen Collins passed away on January 23, 1990, due to complications from chronic pneumonia, and was laid to rest alongside his wife in Jacksonville, Florida.