Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/ River Run Records) - Charlie Allen is set to release his highly-anticipated River Run Records CD, That Was Then, This Is Now, on June 17.
That Was Then, This Is Now contains 12 songs, 10 of which were co-written by Allen. The CD is being released on the heels of several successful radio singles by Allen, including 'I Did This To Me,' 'Can't Take Him Out Of Me' and his latest, 'See If I Care.'
In advance of the release, Allen has recently upped his media and fan exposure considerably by performing at two of the music industry's most high-profile festivals in the past two weeks, including his well-received debut at the CMA Music Fest in Nashville, and his blistering set this past weekend at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tn.
Allen is a true artist in the classic blue collar Country mold. Soulful, gritty, real, and not always politically correct, his songs are definitely not for the faint-of-heart. They are real 'slice-of-life' tunes that deal with love, loss, hurt, abuse and addiction - the kind of songs that the Country format was built on.
Allen hails from Bristol , the east Tennessee town 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. At age 7, he was singing onstage at Panther Hall in Ft. Worth , TX., and appearing in concert with iconic country artists such as Hank Williams, Jr., Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. From those auspicious beginnings, Allen has built a career full of highlights, including a stint with Parc Records and Parc Studios, who boasted clients such as The Backstreet Boys, ' N Snyc , Britney Spears, and Mariah Carey.
Highlights of That Was Then, This Is Now include 'Can't Take Him Out Of Me,' wherein Allen puts his feelings about his maker front and center - and warns of the consequences of taking God out of everyday life; 'I Did This To Me' finds the man taking responsibility for a relationship that he has allowed to fall victim to his own cheating and excessive drinking; 'Why Ask Why' (which is a featured download in Country Weekly's 'Listen Up!' section in their current edition) is a fun romp of young carefree love; 'See If I Care' is a classic and sultry ballad which demonstrates the depth and power of both Allen's vocals and writing skills, and 'Everything But Me,' a love-gone-bad tale - where only the material items of their life together were taken when the woman left.
Allen serves up the classic Danny O'Keefe song, 'Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues' with all of the darkness of the original - while slowing the tempo a bit and making it his own. 'Proof' is about how the effects of alcohol can reveal truths that one might not disclose in a sober moment. 'Can't Live Without You' reveals Allen's sentimental side - and leaves the listener little doubt as to his right to be one of today's top country stars. The title track, 'That Was Then, This Is Now,' tells the story of a woman who has lost her love - and sank to the depths of despair - only to find the confidence - and the will - to live and love again.
That Was Then, This Is Now is being distributed nationally by Select-O-Hits, and is also available at Amazon, i-Tunes and the artist's websites: https://www.charlieallenmusic.com or https://www.MySpace.com/charlieallenmusic.com.
