Allen Stone

Allen Stone was born on March 13, 1987, in Chewelah, Washington. Growing up as the son of a preacher, his early musical exposure was primarily gospel music, leading worship in his father’s church from age 14. His early life was largely devoid of secular music until he discovered classic soul and R&B albums from the 1960s and 1970s in his teenage years. This included a significant encounter with Stevie Wonder’s 1973 album, “Innervisions,” when he was 15.

After a brief period in community college and a year at Moody Bible Institute in Spokane, Stone moved to Seattle to pursue a music career seriously, inspired by a friend’s musical success. He began writing songs and formed a band, building a reputation for powerful live shows through extensive touring on the West Coast club scene. In 2010, Stone self-released his debut album, “Last to Speak.” His career gained significant momentum with the release of his self-titled second album, “Allen Stone,” in October 2011. This album, featuring collaborations with Raphael Saadiq’s rhythm section and Miles Davis’s keyboardist Deron Johnson, quickly achieved independent success, topping digital charts and appearing on Billboard’s Heatseekers and R&B/Hip Hop Album charts.

Stone signed with ATO Records in 2012, which reissued his self-titled album. He continued to expand his reach through television appearances on shows like “Conan” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and was recognized as mtvU’s “Freshman 5” and VH1’s first “You Oughta Know” artist. His third album, “Radius,” released in 2015 under Capitol Records, blended contemporary and 90s R&B influences and featured collaborations with Magnus Tingsek, Malay, and Benny Cassette. Subsequent releases, including “Building Balance” (2019) and “APART” (2021), have continued to define his artistic journey, with his music often incorporating social commentary.