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Bristol, Tennessee, is a town best known today for its motor speedway. But, historically, its real claim to fame is as the birthplace of modern Country music. For it was there that Ralph Peer first recorded The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers – creating what is today known as “the big-bang” of Country music. Charlie Allen was born there into a family steeped in Country music. Allen’s mother, Louise Bouton was a regular on WCYB radio’s “Fun and Farm Time,” and she is a member of the Bristol Hall of Fame. His father, Charles D. Bouton, was an artist manager.

Singing and performing was the family business, and Allen and his brothers, William and Robert, learned from the best. Just as some mothers give their child a toy to play with, Allen’s mom gave him a broom, and taught him to pretend that it was a microphone. Eventually, he would learn to play the guitar, piano, steel guitar and drums. When most of his friends were getting on a school bus, Allen was getting on a tour bus.

Allen’s uncle, Jim Harless, was also in the music business in Ft. Worth, Texas. It was there, at age seven, that Allen began to hone his skills as a singer and performer with his family at the legendary Panther Hall. The stage was his classroom, and his teachers were the pillars of Country music; Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Jr., Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Lee Lewis, are just a few of the touring performers that Allen fronted for, and worked with. It was during this time that Allen signed his first recording contract with Decca Records.

By age fifteen, Allen was fronting his own group, The Bouton Brothers. They appeared on various television shows in the Bristol and Kingsport area, opening for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Pride and others. He also hosted his own television show, sponsored by Martha White.

Later on, Allen was signed to Parc Records, an independent label and publishing company with offices in Orlando, Florida, and Nashville. Parc, and their affiliate, Parc Studios, boasted a stellar list of clients such as The Backstreet Boys, ‘N Snyc, Britney Spears, and Mariah Carey, among others. Commuting between Nashville and Orlando, Allen wrote and recorded many songs, including “Better Said Than Done,” co-written with Earl Thomas Conley. That song garnered Allen his first critical acclaim from Music Row’s toughest critic, Robert K. Oermann, who has been an ardent supporter of Allen ever since. He also made fans of the nationally syndicated radio show hosts, John Boy and Billy, who had this to say: “We believe that Charlie is destined for stardom. He has a heart as big as Tennessee and a voice to match it.”

Presently, Allen is signed to indy label, River Run Records, and has recently completed the album, That Was Then, This Is Now. His current single, “See If I Care” is currently climbing the charts.

In a recent interview, Allen summed his career up: “When you write a song – especially when you have a ‘hook’ that speaks to people’s hearts, well, that’s the thing that keeps you going.”
It is this real, and genuine down-to-earth attitude, coupled with a phenomenal talent that will keep Charlie Allen’s voice on the radio for a long time to come

So far, 2009 has been a banner year for Charlie Allen. The Manchester, Tennessee, native has seen his music gain acceptance around the world, and his media visibility has never been higher. In January, he made a promotional appearance at MIDEM in Cannes, France, and performed an invitation-only showcase event at the Gibson Guitar Studio in London, England. And, he just celebrated his second #1 single in Europe. Recently, he was a featured guest on a special Memorial Day edition of the FOX News show, Geraldo at Large and currently is preparing for his second appearance at the mega festival, Bonnaroo, in June.

Allen’s new single, “Proof” is from his CD, That Was Then, This Is Now, about which Music Row scribe Robert K. Oermann recently stated, “I have made no secret of my respect for this artist. He’s proudly country, and this groove-saturated drinking song is one more feather in his cap.”

Allen hails from the east Tennessee town of Bristol, which is credited with being the birthplace of modern country music. (It was there that Ralph Peer first recorded The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and others, creating what is now referred to as “The Big Bang” of country). Allen has been performing since childhood, when at age 7, he was singing onstage at Panther Hall in Ft. Worth, TX., and appearing in concert with iconic artists such as Hank Williams, Jr., Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others.

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Contest Message from Blake Shelton

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Hear a Pick Up Line from Blake

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“All About Tonight”

There is probably no one better equipped to launch the hillbilly worldview into the age of cyberspace than Blake Shelton. An outspoken champion of the land, the honky-tonk and the off-road vehicle, he has found a way to bring those passions into the realm of downloads and instant messaging.

It started as he hit Twitter, a move as invigorating to Blake and his fans as it was unexpected.

“A year ago,” he says, “Twitter sounded like something that couldn’t be any more opposite of me, but I love being able to say something and get an instant reaction from people, because at heart that’s why I got into this business. Twitter is in a small way like being on stage all day long. It’s tons of fun for me.”

It comes to full expression in Hillbilly Bone, a six-song album that is pure hillbilly energy. In a world where people are looking increasingly for real-time interaction with their musical idols, it is a project that lets Blake plug his traditionalist leanings into the 21st century.

“I talk to my fans every day,” he says, “and the first question they ask me is, ‘When are you going to release a new record?’ I want to give my fans new music more often at a lower price. This SIX PAK is a way to take our relationship to the next level.”

The project’s first single is the wildly successful “Hillbilly Bone,” a shot of pure adrenaline featuring Blake’s long-time friend Trace Adkins.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to try this project with any other leadoff single than ‘Hillbilly Bone’,” he says, “and that song would not have been the force that it is without Trace on it. He brings it. If I deliver the song pretty well, Trace is the reason it’s over the top.”

A rollicking joyride full of backwoods attitude celebrating the universal attraction of the honky-tonk life, it has proven to be the perfect representation of the country-boy-meets-cyberspace model.

“‘Hillbilly Bone’ is by a mile the biggest digital single and the fastest rising single I’ve had in my career,” says Blake. “I’ve never been able to compete with artists like Taylor or Miranda, and this single is competing with those artists now.”

It is the perfect leadoff to a project that is as much a representation of Blake’s personality—both on and off stage—as it’s possible for a CD to be. Drawing on top-shelf songwriters like Craig Wiseman and Rhett Akins, Blake has put together a CD that ranges from the rowdy “Kiss My Country Ass,” an unabashed anthem to redneck pride, the hilarious “Can’t Afford To Love You,” and the smart-ass “Almost Alright,” to the tender “You’ll Always Be Beautiful” and the wistful, self-penned “Delilah.”

“It’s an energy-packed little album,” he says with a laugh. “It’s also about being this guy people are finding out about, which is who I’ve always been,” he says. “It’s really going to help define a different mood for me.”

The SIX PAK is a model Blake wants to continue to pursue.

“This way,” he says, “I’m constantly able to get new music out to country music fans and I can constantly be reinventing what I do. What’s exciting for me is you never have to stop to refuel. I’ll always be looking for and releasing good music.”

His ability to do just that is the latest manifestation of musical promise that has shown itself since Blake was a boy in Ada, Oklahoma.

“I walked on stage one time when I was a kid and sang,” he says. “I saw an instant reaction from people and I never got over that feeling.” His family recognized both his talent and his love for the music, and his mother sent a tape to a local live country music show in his hometown of Ada, Oklahoma, when he was 12. By 16, he was singing at weddings and parties, and before long he had beaten 3,500 contestants in a statewide talent contest.

He was performing at an awards ceremony when he met legendary songwriter Mae Axton (”Heartbreak Hotel”), who encouraged him to move to Nashville. He was just 17 and two weeks out of high school when he took her advice.

After three years of odd jobs and struggling, he was discouraged enough to consider leaving town when he met another legendary writer—Bobby Braddock (”He Stopped Loving Her Today”). Before long, Blake was signed to Giant Records, although success was still elusive. It took four years until his first single came out, and a week later, the label folded.

He was quickly picked up by Warner Bros., though, and the single “Austin” became a five-week #1 single. Each of his first three albums went gold, and each produced a chart-topping single—”The Baby” from The Dreamer and “Some Beach” from Blake Shelton’s Barn & Grill.

As he became more comfortable in the spotlight, Blake began allowing more of his relaxed and irreverent personality into his stage show. The result is a live show renowned as one of music’s most enjoyable. At the same time, he became increasingly recognized as one of the genre’s finest singers.

His fourth album, Pure BS, also went gold and produced a back-to-back #1 single, “Home,” at a time when Blake’s presence on television was increasing.

“More and more,” he says, “people identify me with my personality as much as they do with my music. At a show, I guarantee I’ll meet 20 guys and girls who say, ‘I love what you said to Kathie Lee Gifford’ or ‘I saw you on that hunting show.’ I think I’ve got the best of both worlds.”

Starting Fires produced “She Wouldn’t Be Gone,” yet another multiple week #1 single, and solidified Blake’s reputation as a vocalist.

“The last album or two I pushed myself as a singer,” he says, “and I think I proved what I’m capable of. I’ll always push myself, but with Hillbilly Bone it was more about finding songs with that attitude I want to convey and then just delivering them the best way I can. More than anything I’d like people to hear me sing and think, ‘That’s good music.’”

Blake’s personal life has been one of his greatest sources of strength. A few years back, he sold his Nashville farm and relocated to a farm outside his hometown.

“I wouldn’t change a thing right now,” he says simply. He is satisfied with a life that he recognizes as a work in progress.

“Musically I’m still finding things out about me, and I’m still learning about who I am as a person. Every time I think I’m settling in, I find something new. I think I’ll probably always be that way.”

Along the way, the music he makes continues to be some of country’s finest. With Hillbilly Bone, it is also, in this computerized age, some of its most rooted, its most honest, and without a doubt its most fun.

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Duane Angelvette, founder of rock band Angelvette, is extremely pleased with the response the CD Fully Loaded is getting. The CD is basically a cross between AC/DC and ZZ Top.

The long haired, strappling Angelvette (I get the Tarzan thing a lot, he smiles) is especially proud of a track called She loves Country. “It’s a little different from the other songs on my CD, but I wanted to do something that was country and really fun and infectious. I feel we’ve achieved that because the reaction to the song has been great. I spent 5 extended periods in Nashville as a songwriter and I’m a huge fan of country music.”

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