ROSSINGTON COLLINS BAND
''THIS IS THE WAY''
OCTOBER 1981
41:06
********************
1 Gotta Get It Straight 04:42 (Dale Krantz, Billy Powell, Gary Rossington)
2 Tashauna 04:55 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
3 Gonna Miss It When It's Gone 03:49 (Allen Collins, Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
4 Pine Box 03:02 (Barry Harwood)
5 Fancy Ideas 04:33 (Barry Harwood, Derek Hess, Leon Wilkeson)
6 Don’t Stop Me Now 03:41 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
7 Seems Like Every Day 04:28 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
8 I'm Free Today 03:23 (Barry Harwood)
9 Next Phone Call 03:31 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
10 Means Nothing To You 04:58 (Barry Harwood)
********************
Dale Krantz/lead vocals
Gary Rossington/guitars
Allen Collins/guitars
Barry Harwood/guitars
Billy Powell/piano
Derek Hess/drums
Leon Wilkeson/bass guitar
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Michael B. Smith
With their sophomore effort, the Rossington-Collins Band pay due homage to Ronnie Van Zandt with the songs "Tashauna" and "Pine Box," and rock with the best of 'em on "Gotta Get It Straight" and "Gonna Miss It When It's Gone." In 1987, the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd performed on a "tribute tour" that led to the re-formation of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, debuting on Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam in 1987.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Bruce Eder
Rossington Collins Band were spawned by one of rock music's most well-known tragedies -- in October of 1979, two years after the plane crash that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, new guitarist Steve Gaines, and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines, surviving members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins (guitars), Leon Wilkeson (bass), and keyboardist Bill Powell decided to try working together again, this time fronted by singer Dale Krantz. They were trying to be something other than a Lynyrd Skynyrd clone, although as the latter group had expressed the musical leanings of all concerned quite honestly, they also weren't moving far from the tree that had spawned them. Krantz had previously been a backup singer behind Donnie Van Zant, Ronnie's brother, in .38 Special, which itself owed something to Skynyrd's sound. With Barry Harwood bringing a third guitar to the table and Derek Hess taking the drummer spot, they pulled their sound together fast, and waiting in the wings was MCA Records. The latter company was still reaping gold and platinum record awards from the release of Lynyrd Skynyrd outtakes and compilations, and was very interested in any viable performing group that could tap into that audience, and there was no one better suited at the time.
Rossington Collins Band, as they came to be called, were more than a cash-in effort. With three powerful guitarists and a rhythm section the envy of anyone in rock, a strong singer fronting them, and the combined talents of several good in-house songwriters, they were a solid hard rock outfit with a soulful edge. Fans flocked to them in the second half of 1980 when they issued their first LP, Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere, which made it to the Top 20 and earned a gold record award with help from the single "Don't Misunderstand Me." The group might have been able to build on that beginning but for events in Allen Collins' life starting late that same year -- the loss of his wife was only the beginning of a tragic series of events that ultimately destroyed his career and took his life; it was enough to remove him from most of the creative aspects of the band's music, and he was barely visible as a composer on the group's next album, This Is the Way (which was dedicated to Katy Collins' memory). The album was surprisingly good considering the circumstances behind its recording and release, rising into the Top 30.
The group lasted only until the early months of 1982. In its place, Rossington and Krantz, who had married by then, formed the Rossington Band with Hess still on drums, in the mid-'80s. This offshoot group was short-lived as well, and was eclipsed by the various reunited incarnations of Skynyrd that began manifesting themselves by the late '80s, which included Wilkeson and Rossington, while Rossington's wife took the role of backing vocalist. Their history cut short, Rossington Collins Band never had a chance to live up to their potential, but they were successful enough to rate CD releases of their two albums in the late '80s, and in 2000 got a belated release of both albums on CD in England.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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.
FORMATION HISTORY
Following the crash of the Skynyrd plane in October 1977, chances for a reunion looked slim. Allen Collins had severe injuries to his arm that almost made it necessary for the arm to be amputated. Leon Wilkeson had suffered internal injuries that initially made doctors declare him dead at the scene of the crash, only to be resuscitated later. He also had a badly broken arm. Gary Rossington had also suffered severe injuries in the crash. Only Artimus Pyle (former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer) and Billy Powell were in good enough condition to be released from the hospital within two weeks of the crash.
The earliest recording effort made by former band members were Pyle and Powell's involvement in the studio sessions for musician Leo LeBranche. Soon after, Powell, Pyle, Wilkeson, and Jo Billingsley (former Skynyrd vocalist) formed the band Alias (not to be confused with the 1980s Canadian rock band of the same name), which only existed for one album and a small round of live shows. The band also featured guitarist Barry Lee Harwood (who had played mandolin on Skynyrd's "Gimme Back My Bullets" record of 1976) and who would later be involved with the RCB.
Charlie Daniels gave new hope to fans in January 1979, when he announced "Lynyrd Skynyrd is back!" at his Volunteer Jam V in Nashville, Tennessee. All remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, with the exception of bassist Wilkeson (whose arm was still in a cast) performed an instrumental version of "Free Bird."
From there, plans began to form a new band. However, Collins and Rossington did not wish for this new venture to be another Lynyrd Skynyrd, so they opted for Dale Krantz, who had been a backing singer for .38 Special. Guitarist Barry Harwood was living in Atlanta at the time when he got the call from Collins and Rossington to be in the band.
All seemed set, until Artimus Pyle, who had been slated to start rehearsals with the band, was involved in a motorcycle accident that broke his leg. Pyle decided that the RCB should find a new drummer rather than wait for him to recuperate. The suggestion came from Harwood to hire Jacksonville native Derek Hess.
The Rossington-Collins Band, as it was named, then began rehearsals and writing, which took a little longer than expected because of Krantz's initial anxiety about being in this band. Even while in the studio, RCB would continue to write and revise their songs until they were considered finished. This led to the use of many master reels of recordings.
TOURING HISTORY
The band initially premiered in the summer of 1980 to positive reviews. One highlight of the 1980 tour backing their album Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere was a New Year's Eve performance at the Omni in Atlanta, GA. One permanent feature in the set lists was "Free Bird," which was performed without vocals and was dedicated to Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and Dean Kilpatrick.
At one performance in Springfield, Massachusetts during 1980, guitarist Rossington had to play onstage with a broken leg, which happened the day before.
Following the death of his wife, Kathy, Allen Collins would routinely walk off from gigs or not appear. This led to the cancellation of many performances during 1982. In addition to his Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Explorer, guitarist Collins switched between two double-cutaway Gibson Les Paul Specials during the live shows. Collins had not used a Les Paul since the early 1970s.
Despite the short length of The Rossington-Collins Band's existence, there were many soundboard recordings made of live shows, and studio recordings made by Allen Collins in preparation for their first studio album.
ALLEN COLLINS BAND
In 1983, the Allen Collins Band, featuring Allen Collins, Barry Harwood, Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, and Derek Hess from RCB along with Randall Hall and Jimmy Doughtry who was the singer in Alias was formed, but also soon fell apart. Members of both bands, along with friends and relatives of the deceased, eventually reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987, ten years after the plane crash.
MEMBERS
Gary Rossington - guitar
Allen Collins - guitar
Leon Wilkeson - bass guitar
Billy Powell - keyboards
Dale Krantz-Rossington - vocals
Barry Lee Harwood - guitar, vocals
Derek Hess - drums and percussion
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TO THE TOP
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''THIS IS THE WAY''
OCTOBER 1981
41:06
********************
1 Gotta Get It Straight 04:42 (Dale Krantz, Billy Powell, Gary Rossington)
2 Tashauna 04:55 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
3 Gonna Miss It When It's Gone 03:49 (Allen Collins, Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
4 Pine Box 03:02 (Barry Harwood)
5 Fancy Ideas 04:33 (Barry Harwood, Derek Hess, Leon Wilkeson)
6 Don’t Stop Me Now 03:41 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
7 Seems Like Every Day 04:28 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
8 I'm Free Today 03:23 (Barry Harwood)
9 Next Phone Call 03:31 (Dale Krantz, Gary Rossington)
10 Means Nothing To You 04:58 (Barry Harwood)
********************
Dale Krantz/lead vocals
Gary Rossington/guitars
Allen Collins/guitars
Barry Harwood/guitars
Billy Powell/piano
Derek Hess/drums
Leon Wilkeson/bass guitar
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Michael B. Smith
With their sophomore effort, the Rossington-Collins Band pay due homage to Ronnie Van Zandt with the songs "Tashauna" and "Pine Box," and rock with the best of 'em on "Gotta Get It Straight" and "Gonna Miss It When It's Gone." In 1987, the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd performed on a "tribute tour" that led to the re-formation of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, debuting on Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam in 1987.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Bruce Eder
Rossington Collins Band were spawned by one of rock music's most well-known tragedies -- in October of 1979, two years after the plane crash that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, new guitarist Steve Gaines, and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines, surviving members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins (guitars), Leon Wilkeson (bass), and keyboardist Bill Powell decided to try working together again, this time fronted by singer Dale Krantz. They were trying to be something other than a Lynyrd Skynyrd clone, although as the latter group had expressed the musical leanings of all concerned quite honestly, they also weren't moving far from the tree that had spawned them. Krantz had previously been a backup singer behind Donnie Van Zant, Ronnie's brother, in .38 Special, which itself owed something to Skynyrd's sound. With Barry Harwood bringing a third guitar to the table and Derek Hess taking the drummer spot, they pulled their sound together fast, and waiting in the wings was MCA Records. The latter company was still reaping gold and platinum record awards from the release of Lynyrd Skynyrd outtakes and compilations, and was very interested in any viable performing group that could tap into that audience, and there was no one better suited at the time.
Rossington Collins Band, as they came to be called, were more than a cash-in effort. With three powerful guitarists and a rhythm section the envy of anyone in rock, a strong singer fronting them, and the combined talents of several good in-house songwriters, they were a solid hard rock outfit with a soulful edge. Fans flocked to them in the second half of 1980 when they issued their first LP, Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere, which made it to the Top 20 and earned a gold record award with help from the single "Don't Misunderstand Me." The group might have been able to build on that beginning but for events in Allen Collins' life starting late that same year -- the loss of his wife was only the beginning of a tragic series of events that ultimately destroyed his career and took his life; it was enough to remove him from most of the creative aspects of the band's music, and he was barely visible as a composer on the group's next album, This Is the Way (which was dedicated to Katy Collins' memory). The album was surprisingly good considering the circumstances behind its recording and release, rising into the Top 30.
The group lasted only until the early months of 1982. In its place, Rossington and Krantz, who had married by then, formed the Rossington Band with Hess still on drums, in the mid-'80s. This offshoot group was short-lived as well, and was eclipsed by the various reunited incarnations of Skynyrd that began manifesting themselves by the late '80s, which included Wilkeson and Rossington, while Rossington's wife took the role of backing vocalist. Their history cut short, Rossington Collins Band never had a chance to live up to their potential, but they were successful enough to rate CD releases of their two albums in the late '80s, and in 2000 got a belated release of both albums on CD in England.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/WIKIPEDIA
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.
FORMATION HISTORY
Following the crash of the Skynyrd plane in October 1977, chances for a reunion looked slim. Allen Collins had severe injuries to his arm that almost made it necessary for the arm to be amputated. Leon Wilkeson had suffered internal injuries that initially made doctors declare him dead at the scene of the crash, only to be resuscitated later. He also had a badly broken arm. Gary Rossington had also suffered severe injuries in the crash. Only Artimus Pyle (former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer) and Billy Powell were in good enough condition to be released from the hospital within two weeks of the crash.
The earliest recording effort made by former band members were Pyle and Powell's involvement in the studio sessions for musician Leo LeBranche. Soon after, Powell, Pyle, Wilkeson, and Jo Billingsley (former Skynyrd vocalist) formed the band Alias (not to be confused with the 1980s Canadian rock band of the same name), which only existed for one album and a small round of live shows. The band also featured guitarist Barry Lee Harwood (who had played mandolin on Skynyrd's "Gimme Back My Bullets" record of 1976) and who would later be involved with the RCB.
Charlie Daniels gave new hope to fans in January 1979, when he announced "Lynyrd Skynyrd is back!" at his Volunteer Jam V in Nashville, Tennessee. All remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, with the exception of bassist Wilkeson (whose arm was still in a cast) performed an instrumental version of "Free Bird."
From there, plans began to form a new band. However, Collins and Rossington did not wish for this new venture to be another Lynyrd Skynyrd, so they opted for Dale Krantz, who had been a backing singer for .38 Special. Guitarist Barry Harwood was living in Atlanta at the time when he got the call from Collins and Rossington to be in the band.
All seemed set, until Artimus Pyle, who had been slated to start rehearsals with the band, was involved in a motorcycle accident that broke his leg. Pyle decided that the RCB should find a new drummer rather than wait for him to recuperate. The suggestion came from Harwood to hire Jacksonville native Derek Hess.
The Rossington-Collins Band, as it was named, then began rehearsals and writing, which took a little longer than expected because of Krantz's initial anxiety about being in this band. Even while in the studio, RCB would continue to write and revise their songs until they were considered finished. This led to the use of many master reels of recordings.
TOURING HISTORY
The band initially premiered in the summer of 1980 to positive reviews. One highlight of the 1980 tour backing their album Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere was a New Year's Eve performance at the Omni in Atlanta, GA. One permanent feature in the set lists was "Free Bird," which was performed without vocals and was dedicated to Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and Dean Kilpatrick.
At one performance in Springfield, Massachusetts during 1980, guitarist Rossington had to play onstage with a broken leg, which happened the day before.
Following the death of his wife, Kathy, Allen Collins would routinely walk off from gigs or not appear. This led to the cancellation of many performances during 1982. In addition to his Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Explorer, guitarist Collins switched between two double-cutaway Gibson Les Paul Specials during the live shows. Collins had not used a Les Paul since the early 1970s.
Despite the short length of The Rossington-Collins Band's existence, there were many soundboard recordings made of live shows, and studio recordings made by Allen Collins in preparation for their first studio album.
ALLEN COLLINS BAND
In 1983, the Allen Collins Band, featuring Allen Collins, Barry Harwood, Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, and Derek Hess from RCB along with Randall Hall and Jimmy Doughtry who was the singer in Alias was formed, but also soon fell apart. Members of both bands, along with friends and relatives of the deceased, eventually reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987, ten years after the plane crash.
MEMBERS
Gary Rossington - guitar
Allen Collins - guitar
Leon Wilkeson - bass guitar
Billy Powell - keyboards
Dale Krantz-Rossington - vocals
Barry Lee Harwood - guitar, vocals
Derek Hess - drums and percussion
********************
TO THE TOP
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