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 Tommy Collins?
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Erv Niehaus Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA |
posted 12 March 2002 09:17 AM
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Could some of you forumites fill me in on Tommy Collins and what eventually happened to him? He had a lot of hits in his day and I believe that Buck Owens even played lead guitar for him at one time. Merle Haggard even did sort of a tribute song to him but didn't use his name in it and for the life of me, I can't recall the name of the song. Since we're dusting off the cobwebs here, was he any relation to the "Collins Kids". I remember this brother and sister team and he could really pick the fire out of that guitar. The curious want to know! Uff-Da! |
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Geoff Brown Member From: Nashvegas |
posted 12 March 2002 09:37 AM
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Tommy was no relation to the Collins Kids. In fact, his real name was Leonard Sipes. Like Wynn Stewart, he was instrumental in pioneering what would become the Bakersfield Sound. A very nice bio with pics and discography can be found here: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/TommyCollins.html Tommy passed away in 1999. Be sure to read the bio by Steve Erlewine at the end of the page. Very good. The Collins Kids were one hot outfit. Larry could tear up that double neck electric. Bear Family Records has some reissue stuff that I'm gonna buy one of these days. [This message was edited by Geoff Brown on 12 March 2002 at 09:53 AM.] |
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Erv Niehaus Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA |
posted 12 March 2002 12:39 PM
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Geoff: Thanks for the response and turning me onto the Rockabilly Hall of Fame! I've bookmarked it so I can go back to it again. It's interesting that Tommy Collins dated Wanda Jackson back in Oklahoma. She took a similiar route as Tommy for a while what with going into the ministry. I remember going to one of her concerts at an Assembly of God church at Paynesville, MN. She gave a new feel to gospel songs! She had a lot of zip. Thanks again, Erv |
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Bob Blair Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 12 March 2002 01:12 PM
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The Haggard song was "Leonard". It included, I guess as sort of a musical clue as to who Leonard was, a signature guitar riff that originated in a Collins cut called "You Better Not do That" (or something like that) way back when. As I understand it, that guitar part was palyed by Buck Owens. Loved that line in the Haggard song: "but preaching wasn't really meant for Leonard, but how in the hell was Leonard supposed to know..." |
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Chris Forbes Member From: Beltsville, MD, USA |
posted 13 March 2002 04:17 AM
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Merle also was buddies with Tommy and recorded a few of his tunes. Remeber "high on a hilltop" and "Carolyn"? just a couple of his tunes he did. I can't swear to it but I'm pretty sure they wrote together also. |
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Jussi Huhtakangas Member From: Helsinki, Finland |
posted 13 March 2002 05:46 AM
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At one point fellow named Gary Stewart played steel for Tommy Collins. He had a triple neck Bigsby, apparently the same guitar Faron Young bought and Lloyd Green played with Faron. Anyone pals with Gary Stewart. As far as Collins Kids, they're still a hot act and they rock, so does Wanda Jackson! Both are booked to the massive rockabilly festival in Green Bay, WI in July. |
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Mitch Drumm Member From: santa rosa, ca |
posted 13 March 2002 12:08 PM
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Jussi: a steel player by the name of gary stewart made a post or two to this forum 3 or 4 years ago. i don't know if he is the gary stewart that recorded with tommy, but he did confirm to me that he was the gary stewart that (along with neil livingston) recorded with charlie ryan in the 50s--matter of fact, as i recall he was on ryan's earliest recordings-before "hot rod lincoln". most likely it is the same guy--the age and location would fit pretty close. i cannot recall where he is now living. |
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Paul Graupp Member From: Macon Ga USA |
posted 13 March 2002 12:21 PM
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I may be wrong but I think Live 365/Emmon84 played a Gary Stewart song this morning. It was titled: Swarmin' or something like that. I only caught a glimps of it as it changed on the playbill. Regards, Paul |
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Jussi Huhtakangas Member From: Helsinki, Finland |
posted 13 March 2002 10:29 PM
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Gotta admit, that I haven't got enough Collins recordings to confirm, which ones Stewart might have been on. But I recall seeing a photo from the late 50's/early 60's of him playing for Roy Drusky too. |
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Chris Forbes Member From: Beltsville, MD, USA |
posted 14 March 2002 04:22 AM
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I used to have to box set until I gave it to a friend so I can't look up all the facts anymore. However, I do remember that Tommy hardly EVER used a steel player in the 50's/60's. One of his first recordings with a steel player had an unknown fellow doing one of his first recording sessions. A guy by the name of Norm Hamlett. |
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