Special to Wesson News
Crystal Springs born Dexter Allen’s soulful vocals and passionate, driving guitar have earned him international renown.
At 12 years old, he started playing bass guitar in The Christian Travelers, his parents gospel band, which played regionally and nationally. After graduating from Cystal Spring High School and settling in Jackson, he started playing with local secular bands and artists and travelled with Bobby Rush from 2000-2006 for whom he was guitarist.
From Seattle to Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festive, he wowed audiences, touring on his album, Dexter Allen: Live from Ground Zero Blues Club. He sold out Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, where he jammed with guitarist Ana Popovic; played at the Chicago Blues Festival, record at Muscle Shoals Studio at the invitation of British musician and radio personality Robin Phillips and toured European festivals.
His credits also include playing as a member of James Brown’s band in the Oscar-winning Get On Up, scoring films, a leading role in an indie western, Mississippi Music Awards Entertainer of the Year for singing, song writing, playing multiple instruments and producing in multiple genres; winning the JUS Blues Award presented by Bobby Rush, who calls Allen “a legend of tomorrow;” and serving on the Blues Foundation Board.
“Music is music,” Allen says. “I love music. Most musicians don’t just play one genre, but one thing may be closer to their heart. My thing happens to be blues, soul and gospel. When young people tell me they don’t like the blues, it’s because they visualize the mainstream shows blues as an old guy sitting on a bucket. But when they come to my show, they say: ‘Man, you rock!’ So, I structure my music, in a way, production wise, to catch today’s ear and keep the root of where it comes from. I sing the blues of today, not yesterday. My blues is 2020 blues.”
As Allen garners credits far and wide, he also gives back with workshops in schools and for autistic youth.