Deborah Allen

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Deborah Allen bigraphy, stories - Country music singer

Deborah Allen : biography

September 30 –

Deborah Allen (born Deborah Lynn Thurmond on September 30, 1953 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American country music singer. Since 1976, Allen has issued 12 albums and charted 14 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, most notably the 1983 crossover hit "Baby I Lied" which reached No. 4 on the country charts and No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Allen has also written No. 1 singles for herself, Janie Fricke and John Conlee, Top 5 hits for Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker and Top 10 hits for The Whites and others.

Comeback & Life Today

Without the constraints of a major label, Deborah was free to be indepndently creative, nurturing her success as a songwriter. After the No. 1 co-written hit, "Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Baby" and the Tanya Tucker hit "Can I See You Tonight," Allen scored another No. 1 for Janie Frickie called, "Let’s Stop Talking About It," as well as the No. 1 John Conlee release, "I’m Only In It For The Love," which she co-wrote with Kix Brooks and VanHoy.

During this time, Allen began to explore the songwriting influences in her deep Southern roots, recording the album Delta Dreamland which she co-produced and financed on her own. She received rave reviews from the Nashville music industry for its raw honest emotion and earthy production.

Soon, the ever tenacious Allen was able to make a deal with Giant Records to release the album under their label in 1993. That same year, she had single release from the album with the song "Rock Me (In the Cradle of Love)". Although "Rock Me" charted at No. 30 on the Billboard charts, the record seemed to reach a much larger audience and status by virtue of the hit video that accompanied its release. The video of "Rock Me" was filmed on Deborah’s own 16mm Ariflex SR film camera and edited on her own Sony editing machine. Again Deborah’s tenacity and do it yourself attitude paid off when she received The Music City Summit Award for her co-producing and co-directing skills. Deborah’s hands on approach to her music and career was her salvation in a business that can be so easily fickled and swayed by the ever-changing flavor of the month.

Allen also had one other charting single from the "Delta Dreamland" album with, "If You’re Not Gonna Love Me". This landmark album served to show Allen as a new person, with more depth as a writer, as well as a more sensual image and a bluesy new style.

Allen’s 1994 album, All That I Am, which was co-produced by Deborah and label head, James Stroud, was also well received with her single release"Break These Chains". Since the release of her two Giant Records albums, Allen has remained a popular songwriter and one of the most revered vocalist in Nashville.

In addition to Allen’s personal albums, Deborah contributed to the soundtrack of the 1993 film "The Thing Called Love". She sings a rollicking version of the closing song "Blame It On Your Heart" (also covered by Patty Loveless) and the memorable Don Schlitz ballad "Ready and Waiting".

Once again, it was time to regroup and start anew, which Deborah did with her new co-publishing deal and record deal with Curb music publishing and Curb Records. Through her connection with LeAnn Rimes who was intent on meeting Deborah when she came to Nashville at age 13 to pursue a record deal of her own, Allen wound up with five songs recorded by the young talented Rimes. Two songs on the multi-platinum "Blue" album and Three songs on Rimes’ "Sittin’ On Top Of The World" album.

Shortly after Deborah’s success with Rimes, her song, "We Can Get There" would up on four million selling Coyote Ugly Soundtrack sung by Mary Griffin.

Allen continues to perform all over the world and is extremely active today in her songwriting and producing. Her new album was released through Delta Rock Records and GMV Nashville on August 16, 2011. The album is titled "Hear Me Now". The first single from "Hear Me Now" is "Anything Other Than Love," co-written by Gary Burr. The album also contains Allen’s song "Amazing Graceland," a moving tribute to Elvis Presley. Both songs are currently available as pre-release tracks on iTunes and other digital outlets.