Rossington Collins Band

Rossington Collins came together two years after the tragic plane crash that killed three members and demolished the classic Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Formed in 1979 (after the surviving Skynyrd members did a one-off performance at the annual Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam), the first line-up of the Rossington Collins Band had all the surviving Skynyrd members, including drummer Artimus Pyle.

As the band began rehearsals for its debut MCA album, Pyle was in a serious accident that involved a broken leg. Not wanting to hold the band back, he suggested they hire another drummer, which they did with Derek Hess. Feeling it was best to considerably distance themselves from the music of Skynyrd, a decision was made to bring in a female lead singer, Dale Krantz, who had been a back-up singer for 38 Special and often opened for Skynyrd, and the Rossington Collins Band made its debut in 1980.

After a couple years of moderate success, by 1982 things had gotten so bad with Collins (he was walking off gigs, not showing up at all, and constantly fighting with Krantz and Rossington, who by this time, were married), the band could no longer carry on. Collins took most of the players (sans Krantz and Rossington) and operated the Allen Collins Band briefly during 1983, but that too fell apart.

Most of the band, however, would reunite with the younger brother of Ronnie VanZandt, Johnny, and resume their lives as Lynyrd Skynyrd. Since then, Collins, Leon Wilkeson, and Billy Powell have passed away.