Biography
Bob Allen, a native of Tennessee, found that pursuing work as a sideman in country-and-western bands failed to sustain his engagement over time. Shifting his focus to writing about the genre proved a wiser choice, offering steadier though modest financial returns compared with the uncertainties of performing. Early photographs capture him immersed in youthful energy, leaning on an upright bass in a rockabilly group clearly shaped by Elvis Presley, gripping a makeshift washtub bass whose heavy string suggested defensive uses, or keeping steady time behind countrypolitan guitarist Chet Atkins. Allen himself cut two singles across two sessions: a Buddy Holly cover in 1957 and, two years later, the pairing of “After Shock” and “Oh Lonely Night” issued by Class Records.
His playing days also linked him to the rockabilly and country duo Alton Lott and Jimmy Harrell. Enjoying their partnership, he joined them in the Jim-Bobs during the mid-1950s, well before the name later evoked broader redneck imagery. He remained in other groups fronted by the same pair, gaining firsthand exposure to the evolution of country and early rock. Few writers on the subject can match his experience of actually performing at Sun Studios in its prime. From the 1960s onward Allen became a steady presence in the Nashville country community, producing a steady flow of liner notes, articles, and full-length biographies while also editing, photographing, and occasionally overseeing reissues. He maintained a long association with the Nashville bureau of Billboard. Although he has written about easy listening and vocal music, country remains his central subject; his allegiance lies firmly with the mainstream, evidenced by at least six Johnny Cash liner essays and a biography of George Jones. Still, he championed outsiders as well: in the mid-1970s he offered early, outspoken support to the rowdy David Allan Coe and stands among the handful of journalists who have supplied notes for an album whose title includes the word “rhinestone.”
His playing days also linked him to the rockabilly and country duo Alton Lott and Jimmy Harrell. Enjoying their partnership, he joined them in the Jim-Bobs during the mid-1950s, well before the name later evoked broader redneck imagery. He remained in other groups fronted by the same pair, gaining firsthand exposure to the evolution of country and early rock. Few writers on the subject can match his experience of actually performing at Sun Studios in its prime. From the 1960s onward Allen became a steady presence in the Nashville country community, producing a steady flow of liner notes, articles, and full-length biographies while also editing, photographing, and occasionally overseeing reissues. He maintained a long association with the Nashville bureau of Billboard. Although he has written about easy listening and vocal music, country remains his central subject; his allegiance lies firmly with the mainstream, evidenced by at least six Johnny Cash liner essays and a biography of George Jones. Still, he championed outsiders as well: in the mid-1970s he offered early, outspoken support to the rowdy David Allan Coe and stands among the handful of journalists who have supplied notes for an album whose title includes the word “rhinestone.”
Albums
