Harley Allen

Harley Allen, whose father Red Allen gained recognition performing bluegrass alongside the Osbourne Brothers trio, has carved out his own notable path both onstage and behind the scenes as a songwriter. Alongside his siblings he formed the Allen Brothers, joining them on tours and contributing to albums such as My Old Kentucky Home from 1972, Sweet Rumors in 1974, and Clara's Boys released in 1976. After moving from Dayton, Ohio, to Nashville, he quickly secured a position writing songs for a publishing company. Throughout two decades, numerous performers including George Jones, Alison Krauss, Linda Ronstadt, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, and Hal Ketchum have cut his compositions. In 2001 John Michael Montgomery recorded Allen's composition "This Little Girl," earning three Academy of Country Music Award nominations. Also in 2001 Allen joined Dan Tyminski, the guitarist from Union Station, and Pat Enright in the Soggy Bottom Boys for the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. The collection achieved unexpected commercial triumph with multi-million sales and captured the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Over the years Allen has contributed backing vocals during recording sessions for fellow musicians and issued multiple solo projects, among them Live at the Bluebird captured live in 2001.