This profile was edited with Thomas' myspace editor™ V2.5
Shawn Allens obsession with music began at an early age. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Shawn was surrounded by music as he grew up around the Houston area, listening to his father and grandfather playing guitar and singing. I just loved it when my father, Dennis, would play and sing for me, Shawn says. He and my grandfather were my first influences. But it wasnt long before sitting around listening to his dad and grandfather gave Shawn the bug to make his own music. He begged for a chance to learn guitar, and it didnt take much to convince Dennis. My father struck a deal with me when I was nine, Shawn says. He offered me a guitar of my very own in exchange for a promise. I had to promise to practice everyday, and really learn how to play. Needless to say, I was eager to agree to those terms, and Im glad I did. It wasnt long before Shawn began to feel the influence of other musicians. Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beatles, CCR, Dwight Yoakam, The Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Cash, U2, REM and Tom Petty are just a few of the musicians who influenced Shawns eclectic tastes. When he was 12, Shawns dad moved the family to Peterborough, New Hampshire when he got a job writing for a computer magazine. It was the 4th of July, and Shawns most formative years were beginning. Contocook Valley High School in Peterborough was a breeding ground for Shawn to blossom as a musician. As far as playing in front of an audience, its pretty much where I feel most comfortable anytime, anywhere, Shawn says. If you have a vice, thats not a bad one to have. Shawns vice has taken him all over the United States. He moved to Atlanta in 1994 where he found the music scene conducive to his songwriting. Now splitting most of his time between Atlanta, Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Block Island, Rhode Island, Shawn has a following pretty much everywhere he goes.
