Jimmie Allen

Jimmie Allen Artistfacts

  • June 18, 1985
  • Born in Milton, Delaware, Jimmie Allen first realized he could become a country music performer after his father played him "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" by black country star Charley Pride.
  • He moved to Nashville in 2007. For his first decade, Allen worked multiple jobs to pay the rent and played gigs at Lower Broadway bars for tip money. Allen also auditioned for American Idol in 2010, but they cut him before the live voting rounds.
  • After signing to Broken Bow Records Stoney Creek imprint, Allen released his self-titled debut EP. He dropped his first official single, "Best Shot," in early 2018. It made the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, and since then, Allen's country songs with a R&B influence have continued to chart.
  • In 2021, Allen became the first Black solo performer to win the New Male Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards.
  • The title of Allen's 2020 Bettie James EP comes from the names of his late grandmother and confidante, Bettie Snead, and father, James Allen. He named his third album Tulip Drive for the street where Bettie Snead lived. The name "Bettie" is on his guitar strap.
  • Jimmie Allen married Alexis Gale on May 27, 2021 in a small outdoor ceremony. The guests included fellow country singers Darius Rucker, Chuck Wicks, and Tyler Rich. While Jimmie and Alexis both grew up in Milton, they didn't actually meet until the spring of 2019 when the singer's cousin's wife introduced them.

    Jimmie and Alexis announced their separation via a social media post on April 21, 2023. The divorce was finalized on October 1, 2024.
  • Allen was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 13. He also inherited his father's addictive personality.
  • He's a Disney World obsessive who has been to the theme park over 50 times. Allen's favorite Disney Character is Goofy.
  • Former NFL player Cortland Finnegan introduced Allen to bowling. During the pandemic, he spent five days a week, seven, eight hours at a time at the bowling alley.
  • He plays at least an hour of Madden or NBA 2K on his PlayStation each night and eats a bowl of cereal and two glazed doughnuts in bed. Allen says he only sleeps about three-and-a-half hours a night.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.