The Allen Brothers

One of the most diversified, talented, and flat-out fun duos of old-time music: The Allen Brothers, Austin and Lee Allen, sometimes known as The Chattanooga Boys. An old-time duo may not technically count as “modern,” but their unique qualities (even by today’s standards) place them, in many ways, in the upper echelon of early recorded music.

Born on Monteagle Mountain in the Cumberland Plateau north of Chattanooga, they gained popularity among the local communities and mining camps in the area in the early ‘20s and, as a result of hearing and playing with many other artists, developed a wide repertoire of traditional songs and popular blues and mountain music of the day. With this, they began recording for Columbia in 1926 with “Bow Wow Blues,” a version of traditional favorite “Salty Dog.” It became fairly popular and the label signed them to record more sides. They recorded for Columbia until the label released their oddball “Laughin’ and Cryin’ Blues” on their “Race” series as opposed to the significantly more white “Old-Time” series. Many of their songs take precedent from popular black songs of the day and, without meeting the duo or doing any research whatsoever, Columbia made what is essentially a clerical error. The single sold well and nobody seemed to care; nobody except the duo themselves, who threatened a lawsuit to get back on the white series. They left the label afterward and signed with Victor, where they stayed the remainder of their career, when they stopped recording in early 1934. They recorded 89 songs over these eight years, of varied scope and style, with odd instrumentations and unique lyrics.