Collie was born to a local rock n roll singer and his young wife in Memphis, Tennessee. He began playing music at age 7 with his Father and older brother in the Coburn Family Band, starting with the tambourine, organ, then finally the bass. Soon after graduating high school in 1980, Collie joined his first non-family band - Thin Ice. He spent hours learning the group’s extensive catalog of songs, trying to replicate each tasteful lines laid down by his predecessor, Jon Hypes. At first, he was a little intimidated by the slightly older and seasoned Jazz musicians, but soon discovered the family-style closeness of the group that would encourage and help him find his own style. He began adding his vocals to the mix, taking the lead on several songs during casual gigs and eventually landing his first lead on a Thin Ice original with “I Wish That I Could Fly Away”. Collie went on to be a lead singer in several bands in the years to follow. 

Throughout the ‘80s, Collie performed in a variety of groups - New Wave, Ska, Country and Classic Rock. He also dove into the writing and production side of music. When the ‘90s rolled around, he and his wife, Michelle, found themselves immersed in parenthood with their preschool age children. Collie began writing and producing music for young children with musical partners Hai Muradian and Martie Echito, aka The Happy Crowd. Their music aired nationally on the children’s radio network, Radio AAHS, with a few of their songs making the Weekly Top Twenty Countdown. They received a NAPPA Gold award in 1994 for the CD “Gettin’ Happy”. In 1997, Creative Edge Communications released the video “The Happy Crowd at Adventure City”. Collie joined the staff at Creative Edge as a radio producer. The following year, he started his production company, Radio Town Audio, while continuing with The Happy Crowd and occasionally playing west coast tours with Hawaiian duo Cecilio & Kapono. 

In 2003, Collie and Michelle moved their family up to the beautiful state of Washington where they live today. Currently, Collie enjoys playing on the worship team at Church, especially with the younger players. The young musicians take him back to the joy and enthusiasm he felt making music with his brothers in Thin Ice.