So, you are asking, what does Phil Collins have to do with San Antonio ? I hope you enjoy the following story…..
When he was just a lad growing up in London, Phil Collins became obsessed with Fess Parker in the role of Davy Crockett “King of the Wild Frontier” on the family’s black and white television. He spent hours in his back yard as a youngster playing with toy soldiers re-enacting the Battle of the Alamo, and he tells that his grandmother even made him a makeshift coonskin cap out of an old fur coat.
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However, it took until 1973 for him to actually see the Alamo, and he recalled that he was “spellbound”. He had taken a car trip from Houston. The band “Genesis” was on their first tour of the United States, and on a rare day off, he grabbed the opportunity to travel to San Antonio to see the Alamo for himself.
Photo courtesy of Good News Network
Some years later, he was in Washington D.C., and came across a letter signed by Davy Crockett in an antique store. He decided not to purchase it because of the $ 60,000 cost, however, he realised that there were important pieces from the Alamo out there for those who wanted to collect them. He went on to amass probably the largest private collections of Alamo artifacts, and collecting them soon became his passion. Along the way, he became a serious contributor to the known details of the Alamo and its participants.
Photos courtesy of True West Magazine
He says that in 2006, he started to visit the Alamo regularly to further his own knowledge, and assist with his study of those days in Texas.
He learned of a detailed 15’ x 13’ model of the Alamo garrison created by artist Mark Lemon, so Collins bought the piece, had it shipped to San Antonio, and it featured a narration from Phil Collins himself.
Photo courtesy of True West Magazine
Phil Collins decided to write a book in 2012, which became a 416 page coffee table publication, showing his passion for the Alamo, and telling the story of the Texas Revolution through artifacts and documents from his private collection. It is called “The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector’s Journey” published by State House Press.
In June of 2014, he then announced that his extensive collection, worth tens of millions of dollars, and up until then, had been stored in his home in Switzerland, would be donated to the Alamo for everyone to enjoy. He even paid for the shipping costs of the artifacts to San Antonio.
Plans are well underway for a designated museum at the Alamo to showcase his amazing collection.
As a result of his huge contributions, the musician was named an “Honorary Texan” by the state legislature in March 2015.
Photo courtesy of thealamo.org
Some other things about Phil Collins that you may not know:
- He had a role in the Beatles movie “A Hard Day’s Night” He was one of hundreds of school kids at a staged concert at London’s Scarlett Theater in 1964 when The Beatles were being filmed performing. Blink…and you’ll miss him !
Photo courtesy of infobae
- He played the role of the Artful Dodger in the London stage production of “Oliver”
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- He performed at “Live Aid” at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday July 13th 1985 , and then flew on the Concorde to the United States to perform at Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium on the same day. He was the only artist to appear at both concerts.
Photo courtesy of Ultimate Classic Rock
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Happy Birthday Phil Collins !
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