Editing Allen Collins (section)

=== Early life ===
Collins was born in [[Jacksonville, Florida]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000005735 |title=Allen Collins Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> He started playing guitar at 12 years of age, with a few lessons from his stepmother, Leila Collins, a country-and-western guitarist, and received his first guitar and amplifier from his mother. Inspired by the Beatles on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in 1964, he formed his first group, The Mods, with friends Larry Steele (bass), Donnie Ulsh (guitar), and James Rice (drums).<ref>{{cite book |page=48 |title=Guitar Greats of Jacksonville |first=Michael Ray |last=FitzGerald |date=2023 |chapter=The Biggest Thing Since the Ventures |publisher=The History Press|location=Charleston, SC| isbn=978-1467153416}}</ref> Collins attended [[Nathan B. Forrest High School (Jacksonville, Florida)|Nathan B. Forrest High School]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History Lessons |url=http://www.lynyrdskynyrdhistory.com/less2.html |website=The Official Lynyrd Skynyrd History Website |publisher=Judy VanZant Jenness |access-date=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

In 1970, Collins married Kathy Johns.<!--She took the surname Collins after her marriage, thus, per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Biography#People_with_the_same_surname, is referred to by name as "Kathy" to distinguish her from "Allen".--> All of his bandmates were in his wedding party, but Kathy worried that the band's long haired appearance would disturb her parents. To solve this problem, she required all the band members to keep their hair under wigs at the wedding ceremony. The wedding reception was one of the first public performances of "[[Free Bird]]" complete with the trademark extended guitar jam at the end. Collins's family grew with the birth of his daughter Amie, followed quickly by Allison. Collins was fond of cars, and had an extensive car collection, one of his favorites being a 1932 [[Plymouth (automobile)|Plymouth]] coupe nicknamed "Dixie Blue".