The Collins Kids
Encyclopedia
The Collins Kids are an American rockabilly
duo featuring siblings Lawrencine "Lorrie" Collins
(born May 7, 1942) and her younger brother Lawrence "Larry" Collins (born October 4, 1944). Their hits in the 1950s as youngsters, such as "Hop, Skip and Jump", "Beetle Bug Bop" and "Hoy Hoy", were geared towards children, but their infectious singing and playing crossed over generations. Larry, a lightning-fingered guitar whiz at age 10, was known for playing a double-neck Mosrite
guitar like his mentor, Joe Maphis
.
They became regular performers on Town Hall Party
in 1954 and on the syndicated for television version of the show, Tex Ritter's
Ranch Party, which ran from 1957 to 1959. It was on Town Hall Party that Ricky Nelson
first saw Lorrie Collins, soon after making her the first steady girlfriend of that 1950s teen heartthrob. In a 1958 episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
, Lorrie played both Ricky's girlfriend - and that girlfriend's identical twin.
The Collins continued to perform together in the mid-1960s, appearing as regulars on the Canadian music program Star Route and making a guest appearance on the September 8, 1965 edition of Shindig!
.
Larry wrote a number of well-known songs including "Delta Dawn
", "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", "Tulsa Turnaround"; some in partnership with songwriter Alexander Harvey (not to be confused with Scottish rocker Alex Harvey
).
The duo reunited for a rockabilly revival concert in England
in 1993 and continue to perform. They appeared at Deke Dickerson
's Guitar Geek Festival in Anaheim, California
on January 19, 2008, with a new addition to the band: their nephew, Dakota Serge, playing upright bass.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
duo featuring siblings Lawrencine "Lorrie" Collins
Lorrie Collins
Lorrie Collins is female country, rockabilly and rock and roll singer. Beginning in the mid 1950s, she and her brother Larry Collins, performed as The Collins Kids....
(born May 7, 1942) and her younger brother Lawrence "Larry" Collins (born October 4, 1944). Their hits in the 1950s as youngsters, such as "Hop, Skip and Jump", "Beetle Bug Bop" and "Hoy Hoy", were geared towards children, but their infectious singing and playing crossed over generations. Larry, a lightning-fingered guitar whiz at age 10, was known for playing a double-neck Mosrite
Mosrite
Mosrite is an American guitar manufacturing company, based in Bakersfield, California, from the late 1950s to the early 1990s. Founded by Semie Moseley, Mosrite guitars were played by many rock and roll and country artists....
guitar like his mentor, Joe Maphis
Joe Maphis
Joe Maphis, born Otis W. Maphis , was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1948....
.
They became regular performers on Town Hall Party
Town Hall Party
Town Hall Party was an American country music radio and television show broadcast over KXLA-AM, Pasadena, California, KFI-AM, Los Angeles, California, and KTTV-TV. The first radio broadcast was in the autumn of 1951.Promoter William B...
in 1954 and on the syndicated for television version of the show, Tex Ritter's
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
Ranch Party, which ran from 1957 to 1959. It was on Town Hall Party that Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
first saw Lorrie Collins, soon after making her the first steady girlfriend of that 1950s teen heartthrob. In a 1958 episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952 to September 3, 1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years...
, Lorrie played both Ricky's girlfriend - and that girlfriend's identical twin.
The Collins continued to perform together in the mid-1960s, appearing as regulars on the Canadian music program Star Route and making a guest appearance on the September 8, 1965 edition of Shindig!
Shindig!
Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
.
Larry wrote a number of well-known songs including "Delta Dawn
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey , best known as a 1972 top ten C&W hit for Tanya Tucker and a number-one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973.-Lyrical story:The title character is a faded southern...
", "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", "Tulsa Turnaround"; some in partnership with songwriter Alexander Harvey (not to be confused with Scottish rocker Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey (musician)
Alex Harvey was a Scottish rock musician. With The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, he built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era.-Biography:...
).
The duo reunited for a rockabilly revival concert in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1993 and continue to perform. They appeared at Deke Dickerson
Deke Dickerson
Deke Dickerson is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.After playing in several local rockabilly bands, Deke formed The Untamed Youth at age 17 in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri...
's Guitar Geek Festival in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
on January 19, 2008, with a new addition to the band: their nephew, Dakota Serge, playing upright bass.
External links
- Recordings
- http://www.classicmoviekids.com/collinskids.htm
- Lorrie Collins
- L.A. RECORD interview with The Collins Kids
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Collins Kids