Ricky Allen born 6 January 1935

Ricky Allen (January 6, 1935 – May 29, 2005) was an American blues, R&B and soul singer from Chicago who recorded in the amalgam style called soul-blues, but he did so in the early 60’s, long before anybody gave that genre a name. 

Richard A. Allen was born in Nashville, Tennessee. It was in church that he started first singing gospel. Around 1957 Ricky received an offer from James Brown to play with him as a supporting act. But he turned the offer down because James didn't pay too well. Ricky started singing secular music because he couldn't earn any money from his gospel singing. He started hanging out with Earl Gaines and Larry Birdsong (the latter was also a schoolmate of his) and others in Nashville. 

During that time he was asked to go to Houston to record for Duke Records. Duke's owner, Don Robey, was looking for a similar singer to Atlantic's Clyde McPhatter and thought that Ricky could do. The intention was to record Ricky with a big band and put him between Bobby Bland and Junior Parker. His initial experiences at Duke were not the happiest and Ricky got fed up and went back to Nashville before recording took place. 

                                  

Ricky Allen's recording break was by pure chance. In 1961 he accompanied Bobby Little, Earl Hooker's drummer, to a Mel London-produced session with Hooker for London's Age label. When the session ended they still had studio time left. That's how he got his chance. Ricky explained, “I had already written “You'd Better Be Sure” and “You Were My Teacher”. I did these two songs”. “You'd Better Be Sure,” became his first big hit in Chicago. Two year later Ricky recorded “Cut You-A loose”, which became his biggest hit topping #20 on the national R&B chart and #126 on the pop chart. Ricky's band featured some of the best musicians in Chicago at that time, for example Frank Swan, drums; A. C. Reed, sax; Earnest Johnson, bass; Ivory Parkes, guitar. 

After Age folded, Ricky was recorded for a variety of labels in Chicago: USA, 4Brothers, Bright Star, Apogee, One–Way, Mel Records and Tam-boo. He still had several significant local hits in Chicago (“Going or Coming,” “Can't Stand No Signifying,” “Nothing In This World Can Hurt Me,” “It's A Mess I Tell You” and many more). Ricky was at the height of his fame from 1961 thru the mid-'60s as one of the most popular artists in Chicago's black community, rivalled by Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. Despite his success, researchers and reissuers have neglected him for over three decades. With the exception of a few lines in album notes and the occasional mention in books or magazines, nothing in depth had been written about him up to 2000. For over 30 years there was also only one widely known photo of Ricky. 

Ricky's entry in Blues Records 1943-70 boasts an impressive list of recordings (over 40) made during a time when most blues artists were struggling with changes in public taste. Failing to cross over to the new, white blues audience and no longer making contemporary R&B, Rick disbanded his band in 1974 and retired from music, drifting into obscurity, working in his laundry business. He made an attempt at a first comeback 1983. He recorded a single, “Hard Working Woman,” though can't remember for which label. He was not successful and had quit again. In 1993 he made a new attempt, starting a five-piece band. But after he had paid his band after some dates he was left with nothing himself. After that he started his limousine service. 

Ricky Allen was rediscovered by Jefferson, the Swedish blues magazine, which printed his biography in 2000. As a result of the rediscovery, Ricky Allen was booked for the 2001 Mönsterås Bluesfestival, the biggest festival in Sweden. When he played the festival, it was the first time Ricky had been outside the U.S.A., except for some touring dates in Canada in the 60's and also maybe the first time he ever performed outside of the black community. He was very well received and the highlight of the festival according to the local press. 

In 2002, Ricky Allen played at the Chicago Blues Festival, again very well received. He also made some occasional dates at clubs in Chicago. He was never recorded again. After that he started his limousine service. He drove his own car and was connected to a private stop. He was still driving his car up till his first heart attack in December 2004 after which his health deteriorated, and he died May 29, 2005, after a second heart attack. 

(Edited from Jazz News & Bear Family) (photo under 45 record scan courtesy of the artofsampling blog)