TESTIMONY for Churches: Who was I to represent the Lord?
Growing up in and around the music industry, Allen knew all to well the pressure and temptations it brought on a persons life. Seeing his big brother “Lefty” who was larger than life die at the age of forty-seven. Allen found himself going down that same road on a tour filled with drugs and alcohol that lasted for almost two yrs straight. Working two shows the day he was told his mother had passed away. Allen being the baby of the family was definitely a mama’s boy. But there was no time for grief “the show goes on.” After that he seem to sink deep into a dark depression and began to drink even more. Then came his highly publicized divorce and custody battle over his baby girl, Tess Marie. There was good news in the middle of all the bad Allen was been signed to Sony Records. The same label that big brother Lefty had spent 25 years with (Columbia). Needless to say that created a whole new party off the road. Allen had his own little entourage with him and they were out on the town in Music City every night, most of the time well into the next day. Everybody was his “friend” having a high time but as soon as the party was over Allen found himself depressed and more alone than ever, in a five bedroom house full of people he really didn’t even know. He was searching all the wrong places for the peace he had once known as a teenager before the music and success took over his life. With all their demands, stress and the pressure but most of all the sadness he felt from not having the closeness he had once shared daily with his daughter Tess, only getting to see her occasionally broke his heart. All the stress brought on Bel’s Palsy which paralyzed one side of his face and his weight had dropped to around 150 lbs. Allen began to stay in his room in complete darkness for days at a time, wanting to end it all, at one point he attempted just that. But clearly the Lord had HIS hand on Allen's life and he has no problem telling you what a blessed man he is. He knows the Lord heard his desperate prayer and welcomed him back with open arms.
“I felt kinda like the prodigal son my father was there waiting for me to come back with open arms HE had never left me I had left HIM. I thank Him for not giving up on me back then and now and for the changes He makes in my life each day. I had the honor to play and sing for Him at my home churches for over sixteen years. During those years different people would ask me why I hadn’t recorded a gospel album of my songs? I felt like that was stepping up to Holy Ground I didn’t feel worthy. Because of sins in my life before and after I’d became a Christian, there’s probably not a commandant I hadn’t broke at one time or another and there’s a lot more than just the ten..... Who was I to represent the Lord? But in 2006 one thing after another just kept pointing to that very thing, and for the first time I began to really pray and seek the Lords will for my life and not my own. At that point I closed my recording studio & office’s on music row after thirteen years, stepped out in faith to follow the Lord and what I truly believe was His will for my life all along. I went in into full time music ministry and released my first recording in over ten years in 2007. Since then I've been back and forth across these beautiful Untied States Of America from coast to coast year after year sharing my testimony and the gospel country style.
I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life and to think at one time on my journey through this life, I tried to end it all because I was to busy to take the time to find true peace that I had lost/misplaced for a time. I praise Jesus Christ today for all He’s done for me starting at the cross. I thank Him for the desire He has given me to write and sing once again, this time it’s for the right reason. I truly don’t deserve the blessings in my life today, my wife Gayle and I have been married 34 year's and we have been blessed with two wonderful children.
