Masters

Hall of Honor Inductees

Red Allen - Born February 12, 1930

Harley (Red) Allen was a member-with Bobby and Sonny Osborne-of the trio. . .that conceived and first recorded in the "high lead" vocal harmony format in 1956'-58'. These recordings are recognized as among the most emulated and significant in the bluegrass music genre.

Born near Hazard, Kentucky, Allen began his professional solo career from Dayton, Ohio in 1958 as Red Allen & The Kentucians. An excellent rhythm guitarist, his plaintive lead and tenor voice is viewed by many as one of the music's purest.

Red Allen recorded fully a dozen albums, some with his four musically talented sons, Neal, Harley, Ronnie and Greg. Other recording collaborators in the 1960s'-80s' included Frank Wakefield, J.D. Crowe, Porter Church, Bill Emerson, the Yates Brothers and David Grisman. Songs he most often featured were "Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes," "Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On?" and "Teardrops In My Eyes." After years of semi-retirement he died April 3, 1993.

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