Lyn Collins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lyn Collins
Background information
Birth name	Gloria Lavern Collins
Also known as	Female Preacher
Born	(1948-06-12)June 12, 1948 Dime Box, Texas, U.S.
Died	March 13, 2005(2005-03-13) (aged 56) Pasadena, California, U.S.
Genres	Funk soul R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1962–2005
Labels	Polydor People
Associated acts	James Brown The J.B.'s

Gloria Lavern Collins (June 12, 1948 – March 13, 2005), better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, "Think (About It)".

A favorite among hip hop, R&B, and dance music producers for decades, Collins is by far the most sampled female artist of all time, with portions of her recordings used in well over 3,500 songs.

Early life and career

Collins began her recording career at age 14. She played with Charles Pike & The Scholars. Collins recorded "What My Baby Needs Now Is a Little More Lovin'" with James Brown in 1972. Her biggest solo hit was the James Brown-produced gospel-style song "Think (About It)", from her 1972 album of the same name on People Records. The song contains five breaks which have been sampled widely in hip-hop and drum and bass, most famously, the "Yeah! Woo!" and "It takes two to make a thing go right" loops in Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's "It Takes Two" which is composed almost completely from samples of Think, including a few lines of Collins' vocals. She also recorded the 1974 funk song "Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again".

Furthermore, it was used in the early sociocritical eurodance classic "I Can't Stand It" by Twenty 4 Seven, and in the 2013 EDM/House song "Everything You Never Had (We Had It All)" by Breach. Another album followed in 1975, Check Me Out If You Don't Know Me by Now.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Collins attempted a comeback as a dance/club diva, recording the house single "Shout" for Belgium's ARS label. In 1993, Collins' profile was given a boost by female dancehall singer Patra, who invited Collins to perform on her hit remake of "Think (About It)"; partly due to the resulting interest, her two official albums were reissued in England and the Netherlands.

In February 2005, Collins embarked on her first solo tour. For three weeks, she performed in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Death

Shortly after returning from her 2005 European tour, Collins died from cardiac arrhythmia in Pasadena, California, at the age of 56.

Legacy

In 2006, Paris-based Hi&Fly Records released a live album titled Mama Feelgood, which included recordings from her European tour and some interview clips. This release was produced by German-born DJ Pari, who produced for Marva Whitney and managed Collins' last tour.

Reflecting on her time working with James Brown, she reportedly said "I would have preferred to sing more and scream less."

Discography

Albums

Singles