The Collins Kids

The Collins Kids
Company type	Musical duo
Industry	Music
Founded	1950s
Founder	Lawrencine "Lorrie" Collins, Lawrence "Larry" Collins
Defunct	2018
Headquarters	United States
Area served	United States
Products	Rockabilly music

The Collins Kids were a rockabilly duo from the United States, composed of siblings Lawrencine "Lorrie" Collins (born May 7, 1942; died August 4, 2018) and Lawrence "Larry" Collins (born October 4, 1944; died January 5, 2024). Their repertoire during the 1950s included popular tracks such as "Hop, Skip and Jump," "Beetle Bug Bop," and "Hoy Hoy," which resonated with youthful listeners while also attracting a wider audience. Larry demonstrated exceptional guitar skills from the age of ten and was recognized for his use of a double-neck Mosrite guitar, a style influenced by his mentor Joe Maphis.

Career

The Collins Kids signed with Columbia Records in 1955. They were frequent performers on Town Hall Party beginning in 1954 and also appeared regularly on the syndicated television program Ranch Party, hosted by Tex Ritter from 1957 to 1959.

During their time on Town Hall Party, Lorrie Collins met fellow musician Ricky Nelson, with whom she later had a romantic relationship. In a 1958 installment of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Lorrie portrayed both Ricky Nelson’s girlfriend and her own sister. Nelson made efforts to secure a recurring role for her on the series.

While touring alongside Johnny Cash in 1959, Lorrie encountered Cash's manager Stu Carnall, who would become her husband.

The sibling duo maintained their musical activities into the mid-1960s, making frequent appearances on the Canadian television show Star Route and guest-starring on Shindig! on September 8, 1965.

Larry Collins also achieved recognition as a songwriter, co-writing hits like "Delta Dawn" and "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" with lyricist Alexander Harvey.

Reunion

In 1993, The Collins Kids reunited for a rockabilly revival concert held in England and continued performing together until Lorrie's passing in 2018. Notably, they participated in Deke Dickerson's Guitar Geek Festival in Anaheim, California, on January 19, 2008, where their nephew Dakota Collins joined them on upright bass, enriching their live performances.

Selected discography

Rockin' Rollin' Collins Kids [LP] (Bear Family BFX-15074, 1981)
The Collins Kids, Vol. 2 [LP] (Bear Family BFX-15108, 1983)
Introducing Larry And Lorrie: The Collins Kids [LP/CD] (Epic PE-38457, 1983)
Hop, Skip & Jump [2CD] (Bear Family BCD-15537, 1991)
The Rockin'est [CD] (Bear Family BCD-16250, 1997)
Rockin' And Boppin' [CD] (Jasmine JASMCD-3709, 2018)

External links