Skip Happens Podcast - Every Boot Has a Story!

Jimmie Allen's Unfiltered Journey Through Fame and Fall

• Skip Clark

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 52:26

Send us Fan Mail

Jimmy Allen opens up about his journey through the music industry, personal scandals, and finding his way back after losing his record deal in 2023.

• Addressing allegations that cost him his career without having the opportunity to defend himself publicly
• Discussing the mental health impact and contemplating suicide during his darkest moments
• Rejecting a $50 million offer that would have required him to give up his independence
• Finding true friendship during crisis and recognizing who stood by him when others stepped away
• Rebuilding as an independent artist with complete control over his music and performances
• Creating a new band with lifelong friends and family members
• Continuing his annual charity shows to support local schools in his hometown
• Preparing to release new music without label restrictions or industry pressure
• Finding happiness in music creation for the first time since 2018




Support the show

Thanks for listening!  Follow us at youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

Introduction and Catching Up

Speaker 1

Why, to get us started, I need to do this.

Speaker 2

Hey, this is Jimmy. A Ha ha. With everything I got, girl, I'll give you my best shot. And meanwhile, down home, oh you know, mama's still cooking. Down home we're living for a Friday and freedom was a highway. Yeah, it might be too soon to say I love you, but you're gonna make me want to and we are ready to roll on.

Speaker 1

Skip happens. I know you can't see that side of the screen right now, but he's going to be back here in just a second. We're making a connection, but my name is skip clark. I'm the host, skip happens. I got my producer, uh ty, sitting over here. Ty, you can go ahead and say hello, how's it going everybody, yeah, there, you go see, very upbeat, very excited to be here tonight. But, uh, I do have jimmy allen. He's uh, he said this is only take a second, but it's not taking a second, so we'll just wait three seconds he's back, jimmy, allen y'all hey, how are you, my friend man?

Speaker 2

I'm good, my brother, it's good to see you.

Speaker 1

It's so good to see you. It's so good to see you. I know it's been a few years, I mean, but where are you right now? You're in Nashville.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I'm in Nashville.

Speaker 1

I just got here.

Speaker 2

I was in Atlanta, first Florida and then Atlanta.

Speaker 1

Were you doing shows or just kind of bouncing around?

Speaker 2

A couple meetings.

Speaker 1

Good meetings.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 1

Because I know you used to be in Florida a lot. You used to. You know the whole Disney thing. Oh, yeah, yeah, big fan of Disney.

Speaker 2

Disney, Disney, and you know. Universal just opened their new park, epic Universal. Official open May 22nd.

Speaker 1

Have you played there at all? Have you done your Jimmy Allen thing at the parks I have? I played Universal there three years ago.

Speaker 2

Marty Girl. I went to the concert every night three years ago, marty Grohl did that then I did Eat to the Beat at Epcot, at Universal. I give you free passes absolutely, but I already got an annual pass.

Speaker 1

Oh yeah, regardless dude, you told me that a while ago I think you were talking about Disney and what a big fan you were and you said that you did have the annual pass and then had all that. But it sounds like you're somewhat back on your feet. You know, you went through a lot, there's a lot going on and I know there's probably a lot of people are going to go. That you know. Know, I don't want to see him, I don't want to talk to him, I don't want any of that, if this you know. But you know what, um, this happened, what 2023, 2023 yeah, you know what's so funny to me?

Speaker 2

like, like I love how people will see a situation. They weren't there. They don't know either party, but people like to make assumptions.

Speaker 1

That's why, even now, like somebody, will be like hey man did you hear what happened?

Speaker 2

No, I didn't. One, not my business.

Speaker 1

Two I don't know either person. So I can't speak or make an opinion on something just because someone said something with no proof.

Addressing Personal Scandal Allegations

Speaker 1

But being who you are and who you were the top of the charts. I remember talking to you at the great New York state fair that year, or maybe just before all that went down, and um, just so excited for what you were doing and everything that was happening in your life and the number one songs and I played, like some of those here just a moment ago, those songs that were at the top of the chart. Then, all of a sudden, when this happened whether it happened or not, regardless what the real deal is the roof came falling in on you. You lost your record deal. Come on, you lost your family. There was a lot of stuff.

Speaker 1

You made your way through it though the mental health aspect of it, and I even read somewhere that you were thinking about taking your own life when all this was happening.

Speaker 2

Yeah, just trying to find a financial spot Because of the money I was supposed to make that year All gone away.

Speaker 1

And my life is covered suicide. So, if anything, my kids need to be taken care of, but after I got. Alright, we lost him again.

Speaker 2

Let me put him on the stirrup.

Speaker 1

That was probably Jeff.

Speaker 2

After I got through that, I'm glad. I did because I realized your children weren't here, right when I think back to the things I was accomplishing in music. Who I was man is still who I am. I was just doing cool things at the time. You know what I mean as far as who I am. I was just doing cool things at the time. But as far as who I am as a person, my heart, my intentions. Definitely the same thing and I wouldn't even say I lost my family.

Speaker 2

I would say I lost people in my life that shouldn't have been there. That shouldn't have been there.

Speaker 1

So maybe that's somewhat of a good thing maybe.

Speaker 2

You know, I feel like life throws things at you. And it's all about you how you handle it. I have no problem, I have no problem taking accountability, taking accountability, cheating on my wife, which I did. But again, if we're talking about someone having endorsement deals, you know if we're again, you know if we're out something about someone should endorsement deal have endorsement songs have their songs played because of because of an infidelity and infidelity 90% of me.

Speaker 1

90% of me don't?

Speaker 2

we should be going?

Speaker 1

Yeah, well you know, you know, I just focus on me and and my life. My life and what I can, what I can be different, moving forward as far as like protecting myself protecting, protecting my circle and protecting the people in my, in my circle you know, you know I um, I definitely want to talk about your music, what you're doing now and all that.

Speaker 1

But just finding out a little bit about the background, I'm a big fan. I always have been and always will be um a little upset as to what I heard. But here again, just like any, you know what is real and what is not. I think that's the big question and you regardless. You lost it and uh wow, do you feel the industry gave up on you?

Speaker 2

I wouldn't say, I wouldn't say because I really never paid much attention to the industry, to the industry um, I paid attention to people in the industry that I thought were my friends, so I would say a lot of my friends that know me, they know what's happening they're like nah and the people that I thought knew me that might stop talking to me.

Speaker 1

It hurt at first but I'm like that might stop talking to me. No, it is what it is.

Speaker 2

It hurt at first, but I'm like, I'm like. If I know a friend, someone I've spent years with, I know who they are.

Speaker 1

I'm sorry, I'm not going to take the word of somebody that I don't know over my friend, especially with no proof. And what sucks is what's going to stand is to file a lawsuit. You need no proof. All you got to do is say something happened file it, and then you can go talk to the media later on. You don't have to show any proof. And then I had a bunch of proof. A lot, but I couldn't do nothing about it.

Speaker 2

You have to sit there until you get called Discovery, which was a year later, mm-hmm.

Speaker 1

You know what I mean. It's dropped, it's over with, but I just feel like there should be something in Congress to help us get back to the point of innocent until proven guilty right. To where if someone files a civil lawsuit against a public figure you should be able to file it and then just go to a media outlet one side and then hide your name. No, it should be sealed in court until proven true. Because what happens is.

Speaker 2

I've seen it happen to so many people right, right and then and then it's like the evidence, evidence I had released, I could have gotten in trouble, so I'm so I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing, right, and I don't know. I just feel like I wish people would use common sense and stop believing everything that they read from one side.

Speaker 1

There's no proof we have.

Speaker 2

I tell people, all it is is a rumor a high-level rumor.

Speaker 1

We all have heard rumors about other people.

Speaker 2

Imagine if every rumor you've heard about yourself was on television, on a magazine, right, you would hate it.

Speaker 1

Yeah, can I ask Jimmy Allen if he ever notices our guest here tonight on? Skip Happens and it just he looks great. I love chatting with him. We were supposed to do this last night. He was caught in the weather on a plane.

Mental Health and Suicidal Thoughts

Speaker 1

It was like hold on, we're going to get you there, jimmy, just hold on. But it didn't happen. But he's back in Nashville now. Jimmy, do you think you know country music is known for that tight-knit community and, if I may ask you, being a black man, do you think it had anything to do with that? And he did it.

Speaker 2

Okay, answered my question yes, yes, and I'm not. Here's the thing, bro. I am not I am be naive and say no Because of what I know and what I've heard. See, I don't go by what I think, I go by what I've experienced myself, because I can only speak from my personal experience. I can't tell you the festivals.

Speaker 1

I've played, have heard the N-word so many times I've seen emails between people in the street where they use that word talking about me. I've heard it in a meeting with someone that I was in there.

Speaker 2

So you know it definitely does, but I can't change where I'm from.

Speaker 1

I can't change my skin color. All I can do is work hard, write great songs try to put on shows that lovers love and work every day to be a good person.

Speaker 2

That's all I can do.

Speaker 1

And that's what the Lord wants you to do. You need to do that Absolutely so. You know some artists, though. They get their second chances, and one comes to mind, morgan Wallen. He got a second chance. Look at the shit he pulled and went through. I love his music, I get it.

Speaker 2

But he got a second chance.

Speaker 1

You know I'm still waiting for your record to land on my desk going hey, the new jimmy allen's out.

Speaker 2

I tell you what it's coming soon send it to me first. Yeah, okay, I, I look at it like you know, you know, I think about certain things that other artists man, that that you clearly see they did it right, right. But yeah, yeah, someone says I did something. No proof of anything.

Speaker 1

There's no proof, right right, but what killed me is some of the same people that stopped talking to me, or whatever.

Speaker 2

Some of the same people that stopped talking to me or whatever, voted for a guy. That's the president that had the same allegations and was found guilty of it. So what are we talking about, exactly, exactly, do you? You know, some people have some questions for that connection.

Speaker 1

That's what I'm going to call it. Do you get people that maybe former fans or maybe they're still a fan, but they have an issue with a lot of this, although they don't know the entire story, when they? You know, maybe they're, you know, they've had pictures taken with you, maybe they've been a big fan and now all of a sudden, you know, maybe they've been the victim of a sexual assault or rape or something along that. Yet you know, no jail time, no punishment, no record and all that. What do you say to somebody that comes up to you and starts I imagine that has happened, it has right what, what?

Speaker 1

I mean like somebody coming up to you going I don't like you. I don't like what you did and you know it's not fair. You should be in jail, you should be. I don't like what you did and you know it's not fair.

Speaker 2

You should be in jail. I said you weren't there.

Speaker 1

You don't know what happened for that year and a half, and if I wouldn't get in trouble, I'd show you what happened Right on my phone. But the reason why I don't get down like that my mother was a victim, so was my older sister.

Speaker 2

I don't play with them like like I, and I don't have to force anyone to do anything.

Speaker 1

I? I if people saw my hands after heroes like come on, I'm not, I'm not.

Speaker 2

I'm not doing that because that's not the first person I am. I'm not doing that because that's not the type of person I am.

Speaker 1

No, I don't roll like that and what sucks is we live in a climate where the phrase is going on that says the believable Right.

Speaker 2

And I'm not saying that. I'm saying is when I hear about, I don't know, I believe the truth, whatever, whatever that may be, Gotcha, Um and and what.

Speaker 1

What sucks is there's this loophole right where someone can say if you don't pay me this we're gonna file this lawsuit, huh it comes down to money. That's bullshit cause.

Speaker 2

Here's my thing. Where's the police report? Mm-hmm, you know this happened for a year and a half and you kept going to work, you didn't stay home, you didn't quit and you only had a problem after it got cut off Like it's frustrating man. It's a dangerous time to be a straight man in America.

Speaker 1

And I spend some time talking to professional athletes, professional sports organizations talking to the younger players.

Speaker 2

Just you know, tell them to be smart, be careful be careful, because what sucks? Is a few I said don't let a few bad people make you look at a whole gender. Because that's not fair.

Speaker 1

Because I know a lot of great men, a lot of great women, a lot of great men, a lot of great women.

Speaker 2

And I refuse to let, even though she lied on me. I refuse to let her change my view and my respect for women. Not going to change, not going to change. That's her, that's her. You know what I mean, you know what I mean and that's been the hardest part.

Speaker 1

I'm not going to lie.

Speaker 2

At first I was scared.

Speaker 1

I didn't want to hold the door for him.

Industry Control and Refusing Big Money

Speaker 2

I'm serious. That's how traumatizing it was. I didn't want to hold the door. I didn't want to hold the door, I didn't want to be around him, I didn't want to talk to him. Wow, because I was just like always, always. But spending time with my therapist, therapist mom talking to my family. They helped remind me you can't judge an entire gender, an entire race of people, all persons of actions.

Speaker 1

Yeah, so I want to move on a little bit. But if the industry gives you another shot, what would you do differently this time?

Speaker 2

Not be a part of the industry.

Speaker 1

That's a good answer.

Speaker 2

Because there's a difference between being in the music business and being a part of the industry Right From my perspective and for the people listening, I'll break it down in difference I will always make music, play shows and present it to people that love my music, whether it's listeners, radio tv, whatever, whatever.

Speaker 1

I view the industry as people that play games and pull strings to make sure certain people do things, and here's the thing not everybody that works for record labels or works for radio is a part of them either. So for me, even though people might be in the music business, anyone that's free thinking anyone that's honest anyone that is a person and can think for themselves, and they strive to be a good person and put the best music forward they're not part of the industry either.

Speaker 2

Gotcha so the industry is about, about control. Since I'm and just use business doesn't mean you're a part of control, cuz there are things that I've seen, some things that I've been approached to do or say by the industry that I said no and when you say no, you risk losing everything going to say do they hold it against you? You risk losing everything you worked hard for.

Speaker 1

But if you say yes to certain people in power.

Speaker 2

Yeah, you can gain a lot of things, but at the end of the day I'm like I have to be able to sleep at night be okay with my conscience make sure that, at the end of the day, I can make choices and be able to stand before God one day and not be ashamed of my life or my choices and I always said if I got approached with a large sum of money, I'd take it well.

Speaker 1

I was approached with a large sum, like we're talking about 50 million wow, and I couldn't do it because of it was coming from people that controlled so they figured, if they gave you the money, they would be able to control you because of that. Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, you don't know what you gotta do but what you have to give up until you accept?

Speaker 2

it and wow, I try to borrow my choices accepted.

Speaker 1

Wow, I try to borrow my choices. And I think you are. I think you're smart with your choices now and that everything hits you like a ton of bricks. Absolutely.

Speaker 2

As far as country music goes. I'll always love country music.

Speaker 1

I was going to ask you that how you feel, because I I know you've kind of, and now we're going to drift away a little bit from talking about all this other stuff. I know you've loved country music and I loved, and I think so many of us love, the music that you put out, and I played just a few of the little clips earlier, but there's a lot more to it. Um, that that's one thing, that's the country. But didn't you start to put out a little bit of uh, was it uh, hip-hop, or you went kind of the rhythmic side of things a little bit yeah, I thought that was interesting I've, I've people, if you guys go back and listen to my albums, not just country singles.

Speaker 1

I've done it since the beginning.

Speaker 2

Pop rock, christian, r&b, hip-hop, everything.

Speaker 1

I was signed to a country label, so they're going to push the country side, but every album has been a Christian song, a pop song, an R&B song?

Speaker 2

I love music. Someone says a lot of reverb coming from my side.

Speaker 1

Is there? I don't know. I hear a little bit of clicking going on there, but I don't hear the reverb. On my end, I don't know, but I hear a little clicking noise but I'm not hearing any reverb.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I don't hear reverb. I don't know, not saying it isn't Take a deep breath. Yeah, I'm hearing reverb, I don't know, not saying it isn't any, take a deep, hello, hello, hello.

Speaker 1

Oh, we're going for a walk. Where are you? Are you like? Parked? Where are you? Where are you parked?

Speaker 2

Oh, I'm down at my buddy's house.

Speaker 1

Huh From Jeff's house.

Speaker 2

Oh.

Speaker 1

Jeff, oh, jeff, jeff's downtown. He says he leaves his shades up at night and I said, dude, why do you leave them up? Because I got floor-to-ceiling windows, he goes. I just walk around the house, like I said, with your boxers, he goes oh yeah, yeah, they get a show.

Speaker 2

Yeah, screw that. But yeah, man, there's a lot of people in radio like yourself, A lot of people that work at labels that still talk to you.

Speaker 1

I would say this People that I was friends with.

Speaker 2

I'm still friends with you. Know what, jimmy? That's a good thing.

Speaker 1

My friend Jimmy says there is a lot of reverb on his end there as well. I don't know why Is it still there, I think it might be, I don't know why Is it still there? I think it might be I wonder where it's from. I don't know. I'm just messing around here a little bit. I don't know why there's a lot of reverb. I hope it's not too bad. It's from his phone. He's saying.

Speaker 2

It could be from your phone.

Speaker 1

I don't know. You know there's that crack in the pavement.

Speaker 2

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I see the crack, Tyler. You see the crack in the pavement. Does that look familiar? Maybe when you were in Nashville and fell over one night, I don't know.

Speaker 2

How do you, here we go, here we go.

Speaker 1

So we're looking at Nashville Blacktop, by the way, this is there we go, there we go. Oh, okay.

Speaker 2

Now he's back, he's good, I'm still not technology, technology, technology. Is that how you say that? Is that how you say that?

Speaker 1

I don't know that sounds good. Let me ask you this How's your bowling game?

Speaker 2

Oh man, bowling is lit bro. Bowling is lit bro.

Speaker 1

I knew that put a smile on your face, my avid climber, my avid climber, yeah. Like two something. Like two something Mine was like 225 right now. All right Cool.

Speaker 2

And I mean professional softball player now.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I know, and somebody commented Nick is on there, jimmy, let's play some softball. Nick, let's do it Definitely shout out to my bowling sponsor.

Speaker 2

Brunswick. Shout out to my softball sponsor Mike and Rollins.

Speaker 1

That's cool, it's fun, man, that's what.

Speaker 2

I miss.

Speaker 1

Having that fun outside of music. I miss being a person.

Speaker 2

Because I was doing so much, all the time, all the time.

Speaker 1

Being able to actually be a person and my family and friends it was a rarity.

Speaker 2

Family and friends it was, you know, a rarity.

Speaker 1

Can I ask? I know bowling is a big thing for you. My brother-in-laws are big bowlers, plus they're softball players too, so I'm sure they're probably watching this. But let's go back to the music a little bit. As you rebuild your life and career at the same time, are there artists or people in the country scene that have actually stood by you right along?

Speaker 2

Yeah, there are. So for me it wasn't about people coming out publicly saying anything. It was just as long, you know, I knew the relationship was there. I had a lot of people reach out that know me, let me know they know, me. Let me know they were there for me.

Speaker 1

But also what I went through. A few people reached out and said man.

Speaker 2

It made them want to be a lot more cautious about their extracurricular activities. You know, protecting yourself and all that.

Speaker 1

You know I'm thinking back. I remember seeing I think it was the cmas, and I think even you have a cma award, right you do yes, and acm and acm. Now do you still? You stay away from those or the what's going the acms or the cmas. I mean you don't have any part of that now, do you? Well, well, I'm still a CME member, you know I definitely pay attention to what's going on in business, but actually it was 2022. I said I kind of wanted to take a break from award shows.

Speaker 2

They're fun, but I felt like I just need a break from them.

Speaker 1

I got you Focus on the music you know connecting with you know the listeners. And I still, you know, I still tune into the ACMs, I still tune into the CMA Awards.

Speaker 2

And you know when my friends win, I get nominated.

Speaker 1

I still text them and congratulate them. I'm happy for them because it's a it's a heck of a.

Speaker 2

Heck of an achievement because it's like because it's like that means. That means fellow people in the music business support what you're doing, and that's how I looked at my my dma win. Not saying I was the best of all. The list of new artists.

Speaker 1

I looked at that award as saying people that work in the music business look and say, Jimmy, we see you, we appreciate what you're doing and we respect it. But in no way shape or form did I take that and put it on my shoulders. I'm the best. We're all the best of ourselves. No one can be Jimmy Allen. No one can be Jelly Roll.

Speaker 2

No one can be.

Going Independent and Future Music Plans

Speaker 1

Abby Anderson. No one can be Nate Smith, no one can be the Warren Treaty. That's so true. No one can beat a war treaty. That's so true, I took it as more being seen and being heard than being the best. I remember I believe it was the CMAs you did a bit on stage. You were celebrating the life of oh my.

Speaker 2

God, charlie Pryor.

Speaker 1

Thank you.

Speaker 2

Yes, that is one moment. I will never forget the life of Charlie.

Speaker 1

Pryde, thank you. That is one moment I will never forget. I remember sitting in my family room watching you on my big screen, going that is freaking awesome. That is the best thing I've ever seen. That was honestly the highlight of my career.

Speaker 2

Recording a song with Charlie Pryde and Darius Rucker, it was on my album, my album betty james man, man, that guy for me was what, what? Country music was to me because the only, only other black people really, really in country music time was him and before him he had, before bailey, the first black I remember um, so what yeah? Yeah, and then charlie and be close with Charlie and be close with him, oh my.

Speaker 1

God, dude, that's so cool, you're so blessed.

Speaker 2

I bet he was and he could do a thing where he could talk to you for five minutes and guess your birthday and he would be within two to three days close to it Really.

Speaker 1

That's amazing, see, that's amazing. He said you know how to do that. I said, yeah, You're so old, you were born when they created Zodiac Signs bro. I love that. What would you, Jimmy? What would you tell another Black artist that's trying to break into the country? Music side of things, what advice would you give that person?

Speaker 2

Focus on the music, make good songs put on a good show.

Speaker 1

Don't focus on skin color because, every black artist in country music that has good songs put on a great show has found a way um because you know, I've had an artist say to me well, this didn't happen because I was, because I was like I said no, that happened because your songs are trashed I said, I know a lot of white artists that ain't getting no radio play either there's a lot of them, so I was like the thing is, I said, use your skin color as an advantage.

Speaker 1

First of all, you'll stand out, make a hit song, because at the end of the day. It's about music and no one can control how good or how bad your songs are, other than you.

Speaker 2

You know like, look, my dad was a Marine and he raised me to not make excuses.

Speaker 1

You know, life is what life is.

Speaker 2

You are where you are you look like what you look like You're from where you're from, but that doesn't control your work ethic. True, you know. Yeah, I tell all black artists that.

Speaker 1

I meet, get started. We've all had these conversations make good music and be honest about music. Just because you love it, don't make it good, you know do you you're doing shows? You've Do you you're doing shows? You've been home. You're from Delaware. I know you were home for a little bit. You were playing some places around your hometown, I think not all that long ago, which I thought was great.

Speaker 2

I do a charity show every year. I play a part of the rest of the brothers. Shout out to my friends Alex and Vicky Cool.

Speaker 1

Every year I pick a local school and I play a show and, instead of getting paid, the money we raise we give to a local school. So this past year was my sixth year doing it this year B7.

Speaker 2

You know.

Speaker 1

I'm looking at some of the comments that are coming in and there are a ton of them because Jimmy Allen is on Skip Happens, this is so cool. And a lot of those are like we miss you, Jimmy. Let's okay, that's about reverb, but that's being all right. Somebody says we need to play softball. Give them my number, but that's cool. So what I'm saying, I guess overall when I read these comments, with the exception of a couple, is they're very favorable and you've got fans that want you back on the radio. You've got fans that are saying, okay, enough time has gone by, we need to move forward, and I agree with that. I think we do, and I think what you were getting at in the beginning when you said you were in some meetings, hopefully those are things that are eventually going to pan out and I'm going to be able to put on the wolf here in Syracuse because there are a lot of people that are missing you.

Speaker 2

You'll definitely have some. I actually send you the new single.

Speaker 1

I would love to hear it just between you and I. Yeah, you can play if you.

Speaker 2

I would love to hear it just between you and I. Yeah, yeah, you can play if you want to. I don't care. See, the good thing about being indie and having your own label under distribution.

Speaker 1

there's no red tape. Do whatever, I'm all about not holding music back just giving people you know you play whenever you feel like playing you know um.

Speaker 2

But yeah, I'm super excited about the music and I can say this is the first time since 2018 that I've been happy as far as like making music and happy with my life um, because I am doing what makes me happy, right, not feeling pressure to do certain things you're doing your own thing in the way you want to do it. Yeah, that's the good thing. I always make music, put it out whatever stations want to play it.

Speaker 1

Whoever wants to stream it can stream it whoever wants to come to the show.

Speaker 2

Come to the show. It's about doing what you love.

Speaker 1

Yeah, one thing that really bothered me and to a certain degree, and then again I do understand it too, too. So please don't take this the wrong way but being a program director, and then, all of a sudden, when all this crap went down, when it went down, it was like okay, we need to pull jimmy from the radio. Jimmy, can't? You know we were playing songs, whether they're in recurrence or golds. I mean, you had so many songs and it was like, okay, no, we're just gonna. You know, we're just gonna, we're gonna pull. You know, I got orders from. It was like, okay, no, we're just going to pull.

Speaker 1

I got orders from somebody up above that said okay, we need to pull the Jimmy Allen stuff and it's like, but it's almost saying that you're guilty without being proven guilty. And, as you mentioned a few minutes ago earlier on in the podcast, where was the proof, when was the evidence? Where was? And so many people do think it happened, but you know, there's no proof.

Speaker 2

Yeah, it is my thing. People can think things happened, People can think things didn't happen.

Speaker 1

You know where's the proof If everybody in the world operated treated people because they heard something about them like there's been so many country artists or pop artists or actors, athletes.

Speaker 2

I met. And people say oh, this person's like this, or they'll say something about them and I meet them and I have a completely different experience. Because Rumors are rumors and that's the dangerous part, cause like literally Someone, guy or girl, could say Skip said this to me in a meeting Right Go file a lawsuit and then go write a story about it, even though it hasn't gone to court, they haven't shown any evidence, and then your job would be in danger because of something or someone that just ain't sane to me.

Speaker 1

Bro, you know I hate to say this but whether it's me or anybody else, this happens way too often. We take a look around the world right now, with everything that's going on, there's a lot of hearsay, there's a lot of you know, he said, she said, and they're going to do this and they're not going to do that. So I mean that's that's a big problem right now. But so, all right, music wise, you're out you're doing the shows and are they booking? Directly through you.

Speaker 2

I imagine you have a team now. You know they reach out, but I don't accept every show.

Speaker 1

I'm picky you're an independent, why not?

Speaker 2

because where am I at my life right now? As long as I have finances to take care of what I take care of.

Speaker 1

Good, good how are the kids? You have 6 right. See that brought a smile on your face.

Speaker 2

I tell you one thing about my oldest is about to be 11, bro you wait listen that guy, that guy, he's funny. The good thing about Kip they motivate you.

Speaker 1

They help you remember what's important. And for me not only set an example when things are good, but trying to set an example when things are bad, because when all this happened 2020, and they put the art on the same days, so I remember one artist that stepped off the red carpet.

Speaker 2

Yo just heard this.

Speaker 1

I know you keep your head up there's a lot of things I could have done to. I know you, I know it's not keep your head up.

Speaker 2

To prove my, but it's all about.

Speaker 1

How.

Speaker 2

I will be how my mic, yeah, how my kids. Once I got, yeah, I could have did a few things I thought about to prove, you know, that she was full of crap. But how I what?

Speaker 1

I'm able to live with was worth yeah yeah why am I defending myself against people that?

Speaker 2

don't love me. So people that love me, I know they love me and I'm good.

Speaker 1

I don't need to defend myself, you know no, exactly, and sometimes I think if you try to defend yourself, it's going to set the impression in others minds that, alright, he's got something, he's trying to cover something up or he's trying to. You know, you're better off just to move. You know, do what you did, I guess.

Speaker 2

But what I would have used to defend him. It wouldn't have been no questions, All right.

Speaker 1

It wouldn't have been no questions. All right, no, no. So anyways, jimmy Allen and you're parked alongside. I don't know where you are, but it's getting dark out.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 1

I know, I see that. Good job, good job. I like it. I kind of like the picture. That's cool. Yeah, that's cool, that's cool, but so we can expect some new music. We're going to hear from you one way or another shortly, man, I don't know how. You know, thinking back, it was you know we lost you, while we didn't lose you. You're here, but I mean in 2023, it's like, oh, jimmy Allen's there one day and he's gone the next, but and now is it hard? To what do you think? Let me put it this way what? What is your biggest obstacle to getting yourself back in front of fans writing new music? I mean, what's the biggest obstacle, knowing everything you've been through, I don't know.

Speaker 1

As far as like me. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2

Well, I don't really see things. I don't really see any obstacles Okay, that's good. I don't really see any options. Okay, because.

Speaker 1

That's good.

Speaker 2

I look at it like no one can stop me from.

Speaker 1

No one can stop me from.

Speaker 2

You know, you know, like, like. So Distribution Labels there's ways, there's ways to get, and there's so many marketing teams, radio teams, digital promotion teams, available Every step About what I'm working with, but everything's more about me and my time and my mindset, because for a while, every time I thought about performing or doing anything in country I was reminded of that nonsense. I was reminded of the people that thought we're friends that left. I was on my mind.

Speaker 1

The people that thought we're friends that left. I got you, I totally get it.

Speaker 2

But once I got my mind, you know, I was like okay.

Speaker 1

You gotta take care of yourself mental health is so important. Do you still have the same band Mm-hmm?

Speaker 2

No, I have a different band. No.

Speaker 1

Entirely different band Okay.

Family, Baseball, and Moving Forward

Speaker 2

Yeah, I, I I've got guys in my life that I've known pretty much my whole life. Great musicians.

Speaker 1

Well, you had a great bunch before. I remember seeing you at we had a place called Kegs and I remember you performed there and you had one band member that was doing a lot of video stuff and recording a lot of different things. I can't think of his name now, but I get it. Everybody moves on and it's a new beginning, maybe.

Speaker 2

Yeah, and where I'm at musically now and when, I want my nose to sound like the band I had.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

You'll see it, yeah, you'll see. Oh, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like A lot of people, yeah, a lot of people, and kind of just where my life's at and when I want to be able to do music on the fly.

Speaker 1

These guys are good at it.

Speaker 2

They've done it, and these are guys that I've known for so long and they're blood cousins.

Speaker 1

Really, I love it. Yeah, that's cool.

Speaker 2

I'm real selective with who I allow to be.

Speaker 1

Well, I get you, my friend, I get you. I'm not going to keep you much longer here. I think it's getting dark there. You could be in a bad neighborhood, I'm just saying I'm busted on you, but it's all good. You know I'd love to get you up here for a show. I think Jimmy Allen needs to be in the Northeast and hopefully we would be one of those places where you would come out to play, is Keg still a.

Speaker 2

thing.

Speaker 1

Keg is still a thing.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I mean yes, as a matter of fact in Jordan.

Speaker 1

Yes, yes, sir, as a matter of fact, your name's already been bounced around a little bit Ross Catalino, Back to Back Entertainment, one of the many promoters I'm sure you come across, but he's the guy that does all that for kegs. But definitely good stuff, and I think this would be a good place for you to say hey, I'm Jimmy Allen, I'm back. I never left, but I'm back.

Speaker 2

Yeah, it'll be a good place to play. You were booked there.

Speaker 1

I'm looking at Tyler over here. Tyler goes to all those shows you were booked there. But when the what's that, ty? I? Had tickets to it. You had tickets to it Last March, I think, somewhere around there. It was after, I think, there was Ticket sale thing or something. No, we didn't end up doing it.

Speaker 2

Because there was a medical emergency.

Speaker 1

Oh, okay, okay, yeah, yeah, I read. So there was a medical emergency.

Speaker 2

We were supposed to do it last March.

Speaker 1

Last March. Yeah, tyler, he goes. Yep, I had tickets, still got them. We're going to work on that and Jimmy Allen is back and Jimmy, you opened up tonight and you've been through so much Everything that has happened good, bad. Whatever you believe, whatever you don't believe, this is Jimmy, this is the real Jimmy and just, you know, nobody can tell you what to believe and what not to believe, but hopefully you will see the light and see what he's doing and what he's been through and anybody that, in my opinion, been through anything like this. You know I've anything to do sexual abuse, anything like that. You know, no, hold the phone, this doesn't happen, but the it's just. I don't know it's what I forgot, what I was going to say, but it's, it's what you believe in, what you don't believe. So it's just the mental health.

Speaker 1

I was going to talk about the mental health part of it. That what it just knowing that all this happened, whether it happened, whether it didn't happen? There's got to be so much on your mind. As you mentioned, you know, suicide was covered in your life insurance policy and those thoughts were going through your mind, so that's and now look at you and I spent a lot of time, so a lot of stuff I do I don't publicize.

Speaker 2

You know, you know speaking with you know, sexual assault victims, you know growing up, growing up my mother my mother went to work and my sister right. And to have yeah, do that.

Speaker 1

Say that, say that means what really really made me sick when I see people, I see people that you know when I have trauma, I have trauma for a vendetta a vendetta.

Speaker 2

It bothers me. Um um, you know that that's the one, the one thing that you try to ruin their life.

Speaker 1

But you see so many, so many of them, right now because they people know.

Speaker 2

That's the one thing you want to not criminally but civil law literally how you see someone like they're like it's crazy driving around your problem, you know what I mean. That's something you can threaten somebody or try to get vengeance, but I just tell people to be smart about situations. You put yourself in people around and just move forward life happens.

Speaker 1

We'll respond and it will keep going, so Um and just move forward.

Speaker 2

Life happens, we're responding.

Speaker 1

Yep.

Speaker 2

And it will keep going, yeah, so so.

Speaker 1

Jimmy, I love you, bro. You know what it's just um, it's been great catching up with you and digging into this a little bit and hopefully I didn't go too far.

Speaker 2

Um, hopefully it's all good.

Speaker 1

It's all good, you're such a good man. Um, I do appreciate that. I know Tyler. When I told him, yeah, we're going to be talking to Jimmy tonight, he was like, oh my god really. I said, yeah, I got him. He's very shy, but he loves to push the buttons and stuff. I'm hoping what. I went through helps someone else because everything you know, helps someone else, because everything we go through in life, you know other people can use it and grow from. It sucks.

Speaker 2

I don't wish this on anybody, Gotcha, but you know I hope someone out there learns something.

Speaker 1

I hope people are careful with their words.

Speaker 2

And even more careful with their actions.

Speaker 1

Well said Wow.

Speaker 2

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1

All right, jimmy, I think we've kept you out in the street long enough. Now you can either go, maybe play some softball or maybe hit up the alley.

Speaker 2

I'm about to watch this NFL draft.

Speaker 1

Oh, that's right. Yes, NFL draft. Yeah, there you go. I love it. All. Right, I'm not going to keep you any longer then.

Speaker 2

I'm going to text you my email.

Speaker 1

I'll text you my email Yep, yep, exactly. Thank you, god bless you. Thank you for being on the air. Thank you for watching. I love you, I'll be safe. The NFL draft is on, so get your ass out of the vehicle in the house in front of the television. Let's go bro Quickly. Who's your NFL team? Eagles, I've been waiting for you to bring it up because I was going to give you shit for that. Did you hear, tyler? He was going to give you shit for that.

Speaker 1

Who's your team? You've got to speak up, Ty. Who's your team? Cowboys?

Speaker 2

Hot bro, You're from New York.

Speaker 1

It's okay, both guys. I wanted us to pick are already off the board.

Speaker 2

We got the Bills.

Speaker 1

The Giants, the Jets Bro, have you been to Dallas. No.

Speaker 2

Come on, man, they ain't been good. How old are you? Are you under?

Speaker 1

40? I'm 22. Bro, they haven't been good your whole life. Nope, but as long as we beat the Eagles, that's okay. We can go two and 15. We just got to beat the Eagles. I'm not even commenting. I'll see you at Highmark stadium. We'll follow the bills. All right, it's all good, jimmy. Peace out, brother, you take care, I'm going to text you my email. Send me that. I'd love to hear it. Thank you for being on Skip Happens tonight. Thank you for having me. All right, tell all your friends that said hi. Tell Jeff, thank you and we'll talk to you soon. Brother, all right, will do, will do. All right, peace out, see you.

Head Shot

Skip Clark

Host