BIOGRAPHY
Every contemporary songwriter shares the same challenge: to create something new,
when seemingly everything under the sun has been done before.
For Dee Allen, the answer can be found within.
“If an idea pops into your head and moves you enough to write it down, then it will probably move others as well.
I think it’s important to let each song be what it wants to be, and not lose sight of what initially gave me chill bumps.”
Of course, it helps to have a diverse palette of influences to draw from, and Dee’s music reflects that.
From two-guitar rock bands (Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters), to the danceable beats of Prince, to the soaring
vocal arrangements of Todd Rundgren and King's X. Add a touch of the unexpected (Peter Gabriel),
èand you have the elements that came together to produce Allen’s unique sound.
“The common thread for me is a love of melody, and a desire to not be predictable,” he says.
Although his style emerged from eclectic influences, it’s grounded in a rock solid history. Dee literally grew up
in the music industry, near Nashville, to musical parents (Oak Ridge Boy Duane Allen and Grand Ole Opry
backup singer Norah Lee). His mother taught him (and sister Jamie) to hear harmony by singing hymns
around the piano. At age fifteen, his path was set when he picked up a guitar and taught himself to play by listening
to KISS and Def Leppard albums. Within a year, he began writing songs.
Dee was a fixture on the Nashville club scene for many years, both as a solo artist and with his band,
Tall Dark Stranger. At one point, he was asked to step in as the baritone singer for The Oak Ridge Boys,
touring with them and appearing on their TNN television series, “Live From Las Vegas.” He subsequently
performed with artists like Big & Rich, John Cowan (New Grass Revival), and Billy Yates. And
he has spent the last several years performing in Branson, Missouri, where he quickly became a fan favorite.
“My experiences in Branson made me a better singer and entertainer,” he says. “When you do
two shows a day, year-round, you quickly learn to sing the right way, or you won't have a voice left.”
It also teaches you discipline and tests your mettle. Allen’s strength of character has been honed
over and over during the past decade, resulting in his deep commitment to authenticity.
“There will always be a faster player or a higher singer. But, if you strive to develop your own
unique style and be true to what moves you, then, in a sense, you’re untouchable.”
