HARLEY ALLEN (THE ALLEN BROTHERS)
- From Dayton, Ohio. Lived in Nashville.
- Youngest son of bluegrass Hall 0f Famer Red Allen.
- 1968, began performing at age 12 with brothers Greg, Neal and Ronnie. They recorded two albums as The Allen Brothers. They disbanded in 1974 when Neal passed away from pneumonia while on the road.
- 1975, joined J.D. Crowe’s band, taking his father’s place in the Kentucky Mountain Boys.
- 1982-1985, formed a band with Mike Lilly called the Allen-Lilly Band.
- 1988, worked with Tony Trischka’s “Big Dogs.”
- 1990, moved to Nashville to pursue career as a solo artist and songwriter.
- 1996, recorded first solo album for Mercury Records “Another River.” Recorded second album “Live at the Bluebird” in 2001.
- 2000, appeared on the soundtrack to the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou.” Won a Grammy for his work on that recording.
- As a songwriter, he has written hundreds of songs recorded by such artists as Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Daryl Worley, the Grascals, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, many others.
- 2004, won third Grammy for his work on “Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’: The Songs of the Louvin Brothers.”
- 2005, won BMI’s “Songwriter of the Year” award.
- March 30, 2011, died of lung cancer at age 55.