R.I.P Larry Collins

JohnnyMosrite

Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 892
New York City area

Posted on Jan 09 2024 07:56 AM

All,
Renowned guitarist Larry Collins passed away on January 5th. He was 79 and died from natural causes.
I remember seeing him in my early, early youth on TV jumping around while playing a double-neck Mosrite that was about as big as he was at 10 years old. His playing certainly made an impression. Years later, I ended up playing the same make of guitar. He had good talent around him like Joe Maphis and Merle Travis to show him the ropes on guitar.

Rest in peace, Larry
J Mo'

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Brian

Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19268
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
United States

Posted on Jan 09 2024 08:25 AM

RIP, what a talent! Some threads we've had about Larry:

https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/30557/
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/36525/

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Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

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wfoguy

Joined: Dec 11, 2011
Posts: 2119
United States

Posted on Jan 09 2024 11:08 AM

It's nice to hear of someone dying of old age so to speak. He was really talented. R.I.P.

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RobbieReverb

Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 2345
San Jose, Ca.
3 News Pins

Posted on Jan 09 2024 02:20 PM

What an incredible talent Larry was! The sheer joy that he exuded was infectious. This is a big loss. I regret that I never saw him, in person. The videos that I've seen are unreal! RIP, Larry.

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Bob

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TallTenor

Joined: Nov 30, 2022
Posts: 70
Coast of the Great Lakes
United States

Posted on Jan 10 2024 04:45 PM

Deke Dickerson has a great write up on Facebook about his relationship with Larry on Facebook.

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Kitten and The Tonics

https://kittenandthetonics.com/

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Bango_Rilla

Joined: Jan 06, 2019
Posts: 175
Bananas, TX
United States

Posted on Jan 10 2024 08:34 PM

That kid was a powerhouse! Unbelievable! RIP!

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Bango Rilla!

DiPintos, Fenders and Reverb (oh, my!)

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bigtikidude

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25542
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
United States

Posted on Jan 11 2024 10:42 AM

Was very stoked to see him at one of Deke’s guitar geek festival.

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Jeff(bigtikidude)

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SlacktoneDave

Joined: Jul 01, 2006
Posts: 657
1 News Pin

Posted on Jan 11 2024 12:38 PM

Yes, he was great at Deek’s event. Cool guy, sorry to hear this.

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SlacktoneDave

Joined: Jul 01, 2006
Posts: 657
1 News Pin

Posted on Jan 11 2024 12:38 PM

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Edward

Joined: Dec 11, 2009
Posts: 23
Georgia

Posted on Jan 14 2024 06:58 PM

"Larry Collins, Rockabilly Guitar Prodigy, Is Dead at 79"
NY Times - 11 January 2024
By Bill Friskics-Warren

He and his sister became child stars in the 1950s by making exuberantly unhinged music.
“I had so much energy,” he said, “they didn’t know what to do with me.”

"Mr. Collins played everything from jagged single-note sequences to reverb-drenched bass-string runs on his double-neck Mosrite guitar, a gift from his mentor, the West Coast guitar virtuoso Joe Maphis."

"Dick Dale, the man heralded as the “king of the surf guitar,” cited Mr. Collins’s staccato fingerpicking as a major influence on his playing, and on the evolution of surf music."

"Although they didn’t sell millions of records or enjoy widespread radio play, Mr. Collins and his sister were ideally suited to the then emergent medium of television and became bona fide stars of the early years of live country music TV. As members of the cast of “Town Hall Party” — a popular TV barn dance hosted by the cowboy singer Tex Ritter in Los Angeles — they brought an untamed, proto-punk sensibility to the West Coast country and rockabilly scenes of their day."

"Lorrie stole the hearts of many of the adolescent boys in the audience. But it was often Larry, as video clips from the era attest, who stole the show — hopping, bopping and duckwalking around the stage while his sister sang unabashedly of adult situations and emotions."

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/arts/music/larry-collins-dead.html

Last edited: Jan 14, 2024 18:59:03

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DaveMudgett

Joined: Mar 17, 2019
Posts: 162
Central PA
United States

Posted on Jan 14 2024 10:49 PM

Very sad news indeed. Larry was a monstrously talented player even as a pre-teen, and was enormously influential. Of course, Dick Dale, but many others also. My bands have been playing Collins Kids stuff for decades - their music has held up unbelievably well. Nothing they did has ever sounded the slightest bit dated to me. True groundbreakers. RIP, Larry.

—

The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook
Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website
The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook

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JohnnyMosrite Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 892 New York City area	Posted on Jan 09 2024 07:56 AM All, Renowned guitarist Larry Collins passed away on January 5th. He was 79 and died from natural causes. I remember seeing him in my early, early youth on TV jumping around while playing a double-neck Mosrite that was about as big as he was at 10 years old. His playing certainly made an impression. Years later, I ended up playing the same make of guitar. He had good talent around him like Joe Maphis and Merle Travis to show him the ropes on guitar. Rest in peace, Larry J Mo' Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19268 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Jan 09 2024 08:25 AM RIP, what a talent! Some threads we've had about Larry: https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/30557/ https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/36525/ — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
wfoguy Joined: Dec 11, 2011 Posts: 2119	Posted on Jan 09 2024 11:08 AM It's nice to hear of someone dying of old age so to speak. He was really talented. R.I.P. Top
RobbieReverb Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2345 San Jose, Ca.	Posted on Jan 09 2024 02:20 PM What an incredible talent Larry was! The sheer joy that he exuded was infectious. This is a big loss. I regret that I never saw him, in person. The videos that I've seen are unreal! RIP, Larry. — Bob Top
TallTenor Joined: Nov 30, 2022 Posts: 70 Coast of the Great Lakes	Posted on Jan 10 2024 04:45 PM Deke Dickerson has a great write up on Facebook about his relationship with Larry on Facebook. — Kitten and The Tonics https://kittenandthetonics.com/ Top
Bango_Rilla Joined: Jan 06, 2019 Posts: 175 Bananas, TX	Posted on Jan 10 2024 08:34 PM That kid was a powerhouse! Unbelievable! RIP! — Bango Rilla! DiPintos, Fenders and Reverb (oh, my!) The GO-GO Rillas Bandcamp \| Facebook \| Instagram \| YouTube \| TikTok \| Threads: thegogorillas \| Spotify Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25542 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Jan 11 2024 10:42 AM Was very stoked to see him at one of Deke’s guitar geek festival. — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
SlacktoneDave Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 657	Posted on Jan 11 2024 12:38 PM Yes, he was great at Deek’s event. Cool guy, sorry to hear this. Top
SlacktoneDave Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 657	Posted on Jan 11 2024 12:38 PM Top
Edward Joined: Dec 11, 2009 Posts: 23 Georgia	Posted on Jan 14 2024 06:58 PM "Larry Collins, Rockabilly Guitar Prodigy, Is Dead at 79" NY Times - 11 January 2024 By Bill Friskics-Warren He and his sister became child stars in the 1950s by making exuberantly unhinged music. “I had so much energy,” he said, “they didn’t know what to do with me.” "Mr. Collins played everything from jagged single-note sequences to reverb-drenched bass-string runs on his double-neck Mosrite guitar, a gift from his mentor, the West Coast guitar virtuoso Joe Maphis." "Dick Dale, the man heralded as the “king of the surf guitar,” cited Mr. Collins’s staccato fingerpicking as a major influence on his playing, and on the evolution of surf music." "Although they didn’t sell millions of records or enjoy widespread radio play, Mr. Collins and his sister were ideally suited to the then emergent medium of television and became bona fide stars of the early years of live country music TV. As members of the cast of “Town Hall Party” — a popular TV barn dance hosted by the cowboy singer Tex Ritter in Los Angeles — they brought an untamed, proto-punk sensibility to the West Coast country and rockabilly scenes of their day." "Lorrie stole the hearts of many of the adolescent boys in the audience. But it was often Larry, as video clips from the era attest, who stole the show — hopping, bopping and duckwalking around the stage while his sister sang unabashedly of adult situations and emotions." https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/arts/music/larry-collins-dead.html Last edited: Jan 14, 2024 18:59:03 Top
DaveMudgett Joined: Mar 17, 2019 Posts: 162 Central PA	Posted on Jan 14 2024 10:49 PM Very sad news indeed. Larry was a monstrously talented player even as a pre-teen, and was enormously influential. Of course, Dick Dale, but many others also. My bands have been playing Collins Kids stuff for decades - their music has held up unbelievably well. Nothing they did has ever sounded the slightest bit dated to me. True groundbreakers. RIP, Larry. — The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook Top

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R.I.P Larry Collins