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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCOLLINS, Albert(b 1 Oct. '32, Leona TX; d 24 Nov. '93, Las Vegas) Blues guitarist, singer, songwriter. Born to sharecropping family, moved to Houston's black ghetto as a child; learned piano at school, but was also instructed on guitar by his cousin Lightnin' Hopkins, who taught him to tune it in a minor key, which later became a Collins trademark. Played local blues club circuit with Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown at age 15; formed own group the Rhythm Rockers '49--51; joined Piney Brown's band for three years; became session player at 21, replacing Jimi Hendrix with Little Richard, working with Big Mama Thornton and others. First record 'The Freeze' was a characteristic instrumental with heavily sustained single notes in a high register; billed as 'cold blues' player, 'like something cold in the ice box', according to an interview in Cadence: the unique Texas blues never got enough exposure in an era dominated by Chicago, but Collins was foremost exponent. LP Frosty '62 collected singles on small labels Kangaroo, Great Scott, and Hall in Houston, sentenced to be regional hits only. In '68 he was recommended to Imperial by Canned Heat's guitarist Henry Vestine; first of three Imperial LPs Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even In A Guitar) was made that year, Trash Talkin' the next (combined on Beat Goes On CD '98): Collins sang on record for the first time, but the albums failed to widen his reputation. He also recorded for Blue Thumb, and for Bill Szymczyk's shortlived Tumbleweed label in Chicago '72, that producer no doubt hoping to repeat his success with B. B. King. Collins appeared at Newport and Fillmore West '69 (latter gig recorded by ex-Fleetwood Mac Jeremy Spencer, later on UK Red Lightnin' label as Alive And Cool); gigged in Seattle '72-- 5 and influenced the young Robert Cray; at the Montreux Jazz Festival '75. Record success incl. four Grammy nominations was clinched at last on Alligator in Chicago, with a band incl. Larry Burton, guitar; Alan Batts, keyboards; Aron Burton, bass; Casey Jones, drums; A. C. Reed, tenor sax (related to Jimmy Reed), Chuck Smith, baritone); billing as 'cold blues' player (actually red hot!) was emphasized by album titles: Ice Pickin' '78; Frostbite '80 (with Marvin Jackson, guitar; Johnny 'B. Goode' Gayden on bass; various horn players); Frozen Alive! '81 (live in Minneapolis incl. fresh version of 'Frosty'; Jackson, Reed, Batts, Gayden, Jones now called the Icebreakers); Don't Lose Your Cool '83 (with Larry Burton, Chris Forman on keyboards, extra hornmen); Live In Japan '84 (recorded late '82 with Collins, Reed, Gayden, Jones, Burton). On Showdown! '85, with Batts, Gayden, Jones, the Master of the Telecaster played host to prot‚g‚s Cray and Johnny Copeland: the supersession went high in USA/UK charts. Cold Snap '86 incl. organist Jimmy McGriff. |