Allen’s musical career began when he learned to play the piano from his mother, Pauline Pierce Allen, a professional pianist. He created his first song, “Red Bird,” in 1962, while still in high school, which he later sang live on Shindig! in 1965 and recorded on his 1980 album, Smokin’ the Dummy.
Allen’s debut art-country album, Juarez, was published in 1975 and is regarded as “one of the finest concept albums of all time” by PopMatters, as well as an “outlaw masterpiece” by Rolling Stone. He’s released twelve albums of original songs, including the legendary Juarez (1975) and Lubbock (On Everything) albums (1979).
Allen also works with a number of media, including musical and theatrical performances, sculpture, painting, drawing, and video, as well as installations that combine any or all of these. His work has been exhibited both domestically and internationally.
