Ricky Allen
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Richard A. Allen (January 6, 1935 – May 29, 2005)[1] was an American blues singer from Chicago.
Background
[edit]He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and began his singing career as a member of a church choir in his home town. He relocated to Chicago in 1960, and received a recording contract one year later at Age Records. He had a local hit with "You Better Be Sure" and, in 1963, his hit "Cut You A-Loose" reached Number 20 in Billboard's R&B chart. Some of his recordings of the 1960s, such as "It's A Mess I Tell You" and "I Can't Stand No Signifying", portended the emerging soul-blues style of the 1970s.[1]
Career
[edit]Allen recorded "I Ain't Never" bw "Hurt Look on My Face", which was released on USA 858 in 1966. It was a Billboard R&B Spotlight Chart record for the week of 17 December.[2][3]
Later years
[edit]After his retirement from the music industry in the early 1970s, he ran a laundry and a limousine service.[1]
In 2001, he performed at the Mönsterås Festival in Sweden, and the following year at the Chicago Blues Festival. He died in 2005, aged 70.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Juke Blues no.59, 2005, Obituaries, p.68
- ↑ Soulful Kinda Music - Ricky Allen, Ricky Allen, USA 858 - Ain't Never / Hurt Look On My Face - 1966
- ↑ Billboard, December 17, 1966 - Page 16 SPOTLIGHT SINGLES, R & B SPOTLIGHTS, CHART, RICKY ALLEN -1 Ain't Never (Cedesnood, SMI). U. S. A. 858
- Komara, Edward (ed.) (2006), Encyclopedia of the Blues, Routledge
External links
[edit]- Obituary, Jazz News, 2005
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