Was Allen Collins Lynyrd Skynyrd's main guitar player?

Answer 1

The original lineup prior to their tragic plane crash had Allen Collins as the main lead guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Gary Rossington was the main rhythm guitarist. Ed King also participated early on and provided the great intro and lead to Sweet Home Alabama. Steve Gaines joined the group in the mid 70's and provided both rhythm and lead support to Collins and Rossington.

Allen clearly was one of the great southern rock Guitarists of all-time. His enery and effortless playing was magnificent. Gary Rossington has been asked a million times who played all the lead guitar parts on Freebird. In an article published in one of the widely published guitar magazines, Rossington emphatically says that "it was all Allen Collins".

Collins also co-wrote the majority of their songs with Ronnie Van Zandt their lead singer.

It is a tragedy that we don't have good quality video of Allen and his band mates playing their greatest hits on stage from that period. Of course, this is also true for a many of the great rock guitarists of the 60's and 70's.

However, If you want to see Allen in a fine live performance, go to YouTube and watch Free Bird from the BBC in 1975. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkTQUtx818w

The DVD "Free Bird" is also a great rockumentary.