According to previous profiles in the Dayton Daily News, Allen performed around town in the ‘70s as part of the family group the Allen Brothers Band before forming the Allen-Lily Band in 1982. He moved to Nashville in 1989.
In a 2004 interview with the newspaper Allen said he owed a lot to growing up in the Dayton bluegrass scene.
“You had to be great,” he said. “It wasn’t about looks, that’s for damn sure. You had to be able to play and sing.”
In addition to several solo albums, Allen is credited with writing numerous hits for country and bluegrass artists including Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley, Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Gary Allan, Garth Brooks, Josh Turner and more.
He won two Grammy Awards in 2002 after providing background vocals on the song “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” for the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
According to CMT.com Allen is survived by his wife, singer Debbie Nims, two daughters and a son.