Vince Collins was born in 1935 in St. Anne's, one of 12 children of Bridget and Jim Collins. Both his parents played the accordion and taught all their children. Jim Collins was also a well-known step dancer. Vince often played for him to dance and his first original composition, Vince's Triple, became one of his father's favourites.

Vince Collins bought his first accordion at O'Brien's Music Store in 1956 and played it all the way home aboard the Newfie Bullet. He went fishing with his father at a young age and worked in a variety of resource-based jobs.

He retired in 1996. Vince married Dorothy in 1965 and moved to St. John's. Now he takes great pleasure in playing his tunes to his son Glen's guitar accompaniment, having come full circle from the days when he played with his own father.