Tom & Collins

Producer Tom Collins' credits include hits by Barbara Mandrell ("Midnight Angel," "Married but Not to Each Other," her covers of Shirley Brown's "Woman to Woman" and Luther Ingram's "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right," and "Operator"), Ronnie Milsap, country artist Sylvia (not to be confused with the sam- named singer of "Pillow Talk" fame), Steve Wariner, and Tom T. Hall. Born in Lenoir City, TN, Collins, who received a Bachelor of Science in psychology, political science, and zoology, gave into his passion for music and moved to Nashville to pursue a music career. His first jobs were with singer Charley Pride and a music publisher. In the mid-'80s, he started his own music publishing company and soon after won a BMI Award for "Nobody," a hit for country singer Sylvia. Discovering singer Ronnie Milsap, Collins produced a steady stream of country hits, including those by Barbara Mandrell. In 1991, Collins bought singer/songwriter Tom T. Hall's Hallnote Music and in the mid-'90s, he started a record label, Gotee Records, with members of contemporary pop-gospel group DC Talk. ~ Ed Hogan