Albert Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Collins
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Collins in 1990
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Albert Gene Drewery |
| Also known as | The Ice Man |
| Born | October 1, 1932 Leona, Texas, US |
| Died | November 24, 1993 (aged 61) Las Vegas, Nevada, US |
| Genres | Blues, blues rock, jump blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, harmonica |
| Years active | 1952–1993 |
| Labels | Imperial, Alligator |
Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins or the Ice Man, was an amazing American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was born on October 1, 1932, and passed away on November 24, 1993. Albert Collins was famous for his special guitar style. He played with a lot of power and used unique ways to tune his guitar, often with a capo. People called him "The Master of the Telecaster" because he loved playing the Fender Telecaster guitar.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Albert Collins was born in Leona, Texas. He started learning guitar when he was very young. His cousin, Lightnin' Hopkins, who was also a musician, often played guitar at family gatherings.
When Albert was nine, his family moved to Houston, Texas. He took piano lessons for a while. But his cousin, Willow Young, taught him a special way to tune the guitar. Albert used this unique tuning for his whole career. He would tune his guitar to an open F-minor chord and often used a capo on the 5th, 6th, or 7th fret. A capo is a small tool that clamps onto the guitar neck to change the pitch of the strings.
When he was sixteen, Albert heard a song called "Boogie Chillen'" by John Lee Hooker. This song made him decide to focus completely on playing the guitar.
Starting a Career
When Albert Collins was eighteen, he formed his own band called the Rhythm Rockers. This is where he really improved his guitar skills. For many years, he also worked other jobs, like on a ranch and as a truck driver, to support himself.
Albert first played an Epiphone guitar. But in 1952, he saw another guitarist, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, playing a Fender Esquire. Albert really wanted a Fender guitar. He bought an Esquire and later changed it to be more like a Telecaster. This was the guitar he used for his first recordings, including his famous song "Frosty." For the rest of his life, he mostly played a 1966 Fender Telecaster.
By the mid-1950s, Albert was well-known in Houston for his guitar playing. He often performed at local clubs.
First Recordings
A saxophonist named Henry Hayes heard Albert play. He encouraged Albert to record his first song. In 1958, Albert recorded his first single, "Freeze," with "Collins Shuffle" on the other side. Texas blues bands at that time often had a horn section. Albert later said that Henry Hayes taught him how to arrange music for horns.
Becoming Famous
In 1964, Albert recorded "Frosty." His first album, The Cool Sound of Albert Collins, came out in 1965. It included many of his instrumental songs like "Thaw-Out" and "Sno-Cone."
In 1968, the band Canned Heat saw Albert play in Houston. They were so impressed that they helped him get a record deal and find a manager. This led Albert to move to California. His 1968 album, Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even in a Guitar), was named to honor Canned Heat.
Albert started playing at famous venues on the West Coast, like the Fillmore West and the Whisky a Go Go. He also played at big music festivals. In 1969, he played on an album for Ike & Tina Turner.
Alligator Records and Awards
In 1978, Albert Collins signed with Alligator Records. His first album with them was Ice Pickin'. This album helped him become even more popular. In February 1978, he played his first concert outside the United States, in the Netherlands.
In 1983, Albert won a Blues Music Award for his album Don't Lose Your Cool.
In 1985, Albert performed with George Thorogood and the Destroyers at Live Aid. This was a huge charity concert watched by over a billion people worldwide. He played a guitar solo on the song "Madison Blues."
In 1986, Albert won a Grammy Award for his album Showdown! He made this album with two other great blues musicians, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland. His album Cold Snap also received a Grammy nomination.
Albert appeared on the TV show Late Night with David Letterman in 1987. He also had a small role in the comedy movie Adventures in Babysitting. In 1988, he played with other legendary guitarists like B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Later Years
In 1991, Albert Collins signed with Point Blank Records. He released the album Iceman that same year. He continued to perform live, including at the Guitar Legends event in Spain and for the TV show Austin City Limits.
In July 1993, Albert became ill while performing in Switzerland. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in August. He passed away on November 24, 1993, at the age of 61. His last album, Live '92/'93, was released after he died and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Performance Style
Albert Collins was known for his exciting live shows. He loved to connect with his audience. He would often leave the stage while still playing his guitar and walk through the crowd. He even had a super long guitar cord that let him go outside the club! There's a famous story that he once left a club, still playing, to go to a store next door to buy a candy bar, and the audience followed him!
He also had a great sense of humor on stage. You can see this in the movie Adventures in Babysitting. In one documentary, it's told that he once walked out of a club during a long guitar solo, then came back still playing, and a delivery person handed him a pizza he had ordered!
Personal Life
Before becoming a full-time musician, Albert worked different jobs, like mixing paint and driving trucks. In the early 1970s, he even worked in construction because music wasn't always enough to make a living. His wife, Gwen, encouraged him to return to music in the late 1970s.
Albert Collins died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, after battling cancer. He was 61 years old.
Legacy and Influence
Albert Collins inspired many guitar players, especially in Texas. Famous musicians like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robert Cray looked up to him. Robert Cray once said that seeing Albert Collins play in 1969 "really turned my head around." Two years later, Albert played at Robert Cray's high school graduation party, and that's when Robert decided to seriously study the blues.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Albert Collins as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. His unique style and powerful playing continue to influence musicians today.
Discography
Studio Albums
- 1965: The Cool Sound of Albert Collins
- 1968: Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even in a Guitar)
- 1969: Trash Talkin'
- 1970: The Compleat Albert Collins
- 1971: There's Gotta Be a Change
- 1978: Ice Pickin'
- 1980: Frostbite
- 1983: Don't Lose Your Cool
- 1986: Cold Snap
- 1991: Iceman
Collaborations
- 1985: Showdown! (with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland)
Live Albums
- 1969: Alive & Cool
- 1978: Albert Collins with The Barrelhouse Live
- 1979: Jammin' with Albert
- 1981: Frozen Alive!
- 1984: Live in Japan
- 1989: Jazzvisions: Jump the Blues Away (with Etta James and Joe Walsh)
- 1995: Live '92/'93
- 2008: Live at Montreux 1992
- 2016: Live at Rockpalast – Dortmund 1980
Compilations
- 1991: The Complete Imperial Recordings
- 1993: Collins Mix (The Best Of)
- 1997: Albert Collins: Deluxe Edition
Guest Work
Albert Collins also played on albums for many other artists, including:
Videography
- 1986 Further On Down the Road: Albert Collins, Lonnie Mack, Roy Buchanan – Live at Carnegie Hall
- 2003 The Iceman at Mount Fuji
- 2008 Live From Austin TX
- 2008 Live at Montreux 1992
Film and Television Appearances
- 1978 Live Has Many Faces (Dutch TV show Tros Sesjun)
- 1987 Late Night with David Letterman (TV show)
- 1987 Adventures in Babysitting (movie cameo)
- 1992 Austin City Limits (TV concert)
Images for kids
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Collins in 1990
See also
In Spanish: Albert Collins para niños
