Rossington Collins Band

Rossington Collins Band

The Rossington Collins Band was a southern rock band founded in 1979 by guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington following the 1977 plane crash which killed three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, of which both had been members. The band included two other surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson. The band wished to develop their own sound rather than being regarded as a reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd, and toward that objective they hired a female lead vocalist, Dale Krantz, who later married Rossington. The Jacksonville-based band released two albums before disbanding in 1982. Their biggest hit, "Don't Misunderstand Me," charted in late 1980.

Gary Rossington

Gary Rossington

Gary Robert Rossington (born December 4, 1951, Jacksonville, Florida, United States) is an American musician, best known as a founding member of Southern hard rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He plays lead and rhythm guitar. He is also a founding member of The Rossington-Collins Band along with former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate, Allen Collins. Rossington is the only original member still with the band as of 2012.


Rossington formed the band "The Noble Five" as a teenager with friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns in the summer of 1964. They would later change the name of the band to "The One Percent" before becoming Lynyrd Skynyrd. Skynyrd gained national exposure starting in 1973 with the release of their first album (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) and hit single "Free Bird".

Rossington's instrument of choice was a 1959 Gibson Les Paul that he purchased from a woman whose boyfriend had left her and left behind his guitar. He named it "Berneice" in honor of his mother whom he was close to. Rossington has played lead guitar on "Tuesday's Gone" and the slide guitar for "Free Bird". Along with Collins, Rossington also provided the guitar work for "Simple Man".

On Labor Day weekend in 1976, Rossington and fellow Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins were both involved in separate auto accidents in their hometown of Jacksonville. Rossington had just bought a new Ford Torino, and hit an oak tree while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The band was due to go on tour in a couple of days, but had to postpone this tour due to Rossington's accident. The band members were not at all pleased with Rossington, and fined him $5000 for the delay caused to the band's schedule. Van Zant and Collins wrote the song "That Smell" based on the wreck, and Rossington's state of influence from drugs and alcohol at the time. "Whiskey bottles and brand new cars, oak tree you're in my way. There's too much coke and too much smoke."

After several years of recovery, the crash survivors felt the time was right for another try. Gary Rossington and Allen Collins had performed at a few special jams, and slowly began planning a new band. In a few months they had signed on Skynyrd survivors Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson and other local musicians, although the choice of a lead vocalist for the new band remained a perplexing one. Wisely, Gary and Allen chose Dale Krantz, a gutsy, whiskey-voiced female backup singer from .38 Special, instead of an inferior male Ronnie VanZant imitator.

The Rossington-Collins Band debuted in 1980 with the Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere album. Kicked by such songs as ‘Getaway” and 'Don’t Misunderstand Me’ the album sold more than a million copies and the band toured to enthusiastic, sellout crowds. However the band’s 1981 follow-up effort stumbled in the marketplace despite being well-received critcally.

Mounting pressures took a high toll on the band. Allen’s wife died during a miscarriage forcing the cancellation of the 1980 tour, then Gary broke his foot and postponed the tour for another six months. By 1982, Gary and Dale had fallen in love which added another stress to the host of problems within the band. In May the two married and retired to a log house just outside the National Elk Refuge in the Grand Teton Mountains to relax and raise a family.

Allen Collins

Allen Collins

Long considered one of rock's premier guitarists, Allen Collins served as heart to Ronnie VanZant's soul in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Allen's unique, firey guitar playing and powerful songwriting helped insure Lynyrd Skynyrd's place in rock and roll history.

He was 6282 BytesBorn at St. Lukes Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida on July 19, 1952, Allen (delivered by Doctor Owens) weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Allen's mother, Eva remembers her son as full of energy and enthusiasm -- even before Allen could walk he moved constantly. From his earliest days Allen loved cars -- especially race cars -- and his favorite summer activity was going to Jacksonville Raceway every Saturday night to watch Leroy Yarborough race. The Collins family first started attending the races when Allen was eight years old and Allen, sitting as high in the stands as possible, would laugh and holler as he pretended to be racing his own car. This early fascination lasted throughout Allen's life -- he later collected an entire fleet of collectible and performance cars that was one of his proudest possessions.

In 1963, Allen lived in Jacksonville's Cedar Hills area when an older friend received a guitar for his birthday. Allen was hooked. Allen's parents had recently divorced and times were tough for Allen, his sister and mother. His mother, already working all day at the cigar factory, took a second job at Woolworths in the evenings. As soon as she had saved enough money, she surprised Allen by taking him down to Sears and ordered his first Silvertone guitar and amplifier. Despite no training aside from a few tips from his step-mother and friend, Allen picked up the guitar easily and quickly formed his first band -- The Mods.

Together with singer Ronnie VanZant and guitarist Gary Rossington, Allen Collins formed the nucleus of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 by learning what they could from each other and listening to the radio. This early band, first called My Backyard, then the Noble Five also included drummer Bob Burns and bassist Larry Junstrum. Finding a place to practice proved difficult and the choices were limited to the carport at Bob's house, Ronnie's backyard, where they were sure to get a full meal or Allen's living room which usually included Eva's famous cakes and candies. After several years of practicing, performing and personnel changes, Skynyrd, like any decent group of fledgling rock stars, started gigging the notorious one-nighters.

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"). In 1980, Collins' wife Kathy suddenly died of a hemorrhage. The Rossington-Collins Band disbanded in 1982. Allen continued to pursue music, starting Allen Collins Band, which released one album, Here, There & Back in 1983.

Rossington Collins Band-This is the way

This is the way

The guys made a very wise decision in hiring stellar female vocalist Dale Krantz, as rock female vocalists were an emerging trend back then, and comparisons to Van Zant were therefore pointless. Who you CAN compare Krantz to is Janis Joplin, who clearly influenced Krantz's vocal style. I would say that Krantz has a more powerful voice, and is just better, than Joplin as well, I dare say!

The songs are mostly great, some just good, but overall album by these great musicians! It's too bad it didn't last longer, but southern rock was starting to die out by the mid-eighties, anyway. A MUST HAVE for all true Skynyrd fans! They don't bear the Skynyrd name, but the Skynyrd torch was definitely extended for a time with these releases! These efforts DEFINITELY outshine ANY album by the Skynyrd that reformed in 1987, with the possible exception of Twenty in 1997.

Rossington Collins Band- Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere

Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere

Recorded in a cold February, 1980, at Adobe Studios in El Paso,Texas. The survivors of Skynyrd had holed up to mentally heal and see if they could even physically play anymore,much less capture the essence of their combined talents on tape. Dale Krantz was added on vocals,due to an early decision to not even go in the direction of trying to replace Ronnie Van Zant. The ensuing album was pure creative magic! Dale,shy to write lyrics,was coaxed out of the corner and surprised everyone with her hidden talents. Her singing is very distinctive and shines on every single song on the album. Rossington,Collins, and Barry Harwood actually produced this album,BTW,and that adds to the magic,too.