10 Questions with ... Jimmie Allen

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

A native of Southern Delaware, singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen, 33, made the move to Nashville more than a decade ago with only $21 to his name after dropping out of the University of Delaware. His Stoney Creek Records debut album, "Mercury Lane" - named for the dead-end street he grew up on - was released in October, and its first single, "Best Shot," topped the airplay charts for two weeks in November. It also had the distinction of being the most Shazamed song in the Country format for eight consecutive weeks. Allen is currently on the road with Scotty McCreery's "Season's Change Tour" through the end of January, and will hit the road with Kane Brown's "Live Forever Tour" beginning in mid-February.

1. It seems like this all happened for you very quickly. We just got to know you in the last year. But what's the real story about how long you were grinding before things started popping for you career-wise?

I've been working on this music thing for 14 years - four years before I moved to Nashville and another ten in Music City. I worked odd jobs for most of that time, doing anything I had to do to keep the bills paid until people started caring what I had to say musically.

2. Were you surprised at how well "Best Shot" did at radio, and how fast, when so few debut artists have a hit with their first single?

Yes, I was surprised by how fast it all happened, but I am very thankful. I spent the past 10 years in Nashville preparing myself for this moment. My dream was to have radio success, and I knew that it would take a lot of sacrifices to make it happen. I can't think of a better feeling than the first time you hear your song playing on the radio station you grew up listening to.

3. Who broke the news to you about having your first #1, and how did you celebrate it? And then how did you react/celebrate when the single stayed at #1 for a second week?

Byron Kennedy, head of promotion at Stoney Creek, called me and told me he was near positive it was going to go # 1. I remember I walked into my apartment, dropped to my knees crying, and thanked God for everything that was happening. We knew that when the charts closed, I would be in Las Vegas to attend the Soul Train Awards, so Byron and BBR Music Group EVP Jon Loba actually flew across the country just to celebrate with me. It was an emotional moment when the clock hit midnight and "Best Shot" was officially #1. I'm so fortunate to have had Byron, Jon and [BBR Publicity Manager] Quinn [Kaemmer] to share in that moment with me.

It was such a surreal experience, and then hearing that it was going to be #1 for a second week was incredible. I was on the road with my band when we got that call. It meant a lot to me to be able to share that honor with my band. Those guys are like family to me.

4. When people talk about you now, the words "history-making" appear before your name because you joined Darius Rucker as the only two African-American Country artists to hit No. 1 with your debut singles. What does that mean to you?

As an artist and as a person, it means that I have a responsibility to generations that come after me because people are going to look up to me and watch what I'm doing. I feel I have an obligation to carry on the legacy that came before me [from] Charley Pride, DeFord Bailey, [and] Darius Rucker, along with others in my genre that look like me - Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, Tony Jackson, Cowboy Troy, and Aaron Vance - to continue to work together and show that Country music is for everyone.

5. In your docu-series, "Jimmie Allen All In," we got to meet your close-knit family. What did they think of your aspirations to be a Country star, and what is their reaction to seeing it happening for you now?

My family loves it. They've always been supportive of my dreams. My dad raised me on Country music. It's all he listens to. He is ecstatic about everything that is happening, even though he'd love it more if I dressed a little bit more like Jon Pardi! My mother and my siblings are all very excited too, and I'm so glad they have been able to share in this journey with me.

6. You've appeared on NBC's "Today" show four times in less than two months. How has your family reacted to getting to see you on TV so often, and what has that experience been like for you?

Getting to do the "Today" show so often has been amazing. They have given me such a huge platform to tell my story through music. I'm still just as shocked as my family is every time I see my face on that TV screen up there with Kathie Lee [Gifford] and Hoda [Kotb]. Those ladies are fantastic, and I'm so honored to have gotten the chance to get to know them.

7. What had the support of Country radio meant to your life, and in what ways has that life changed in the past year?

The support of Country radio means everything to me. They've created a fan base for me when I didn't have one. They've given me a chance to be heard. They've changed my life and my [four-year-old] son's life, and I am forever grateful for that.

8. There aren't many country stars that emerge out of Delaware, other than you and Chuck Wicks. Is there a country scene there?

Country music is very popular in Delaware. We grew up listening to Country radio and watching different Country artists perform at places like Bottle & Cork, Rusty Rudder, and the Delaware State Fair.

9. You toured the U.K. in October. How was the response from the audience, and do you feel like you made many new fans?

It was a great experience in the U.K. The fan base and the way they listen to music is unlike any other. Since they don't get to see a lot of their favorite Country artists very often, they really look forward to the shows and learn more than just the current single. They dive headfirst into the music and really invest in the artist. They bring incredible energy to the shows, and I'm so glad I got to connect with them.

10. What can fans expect from your tour with Kane Brown in 2019?

Fans can expect a fun, high-energy show filled with a lot of music and a few jokes sprinkled in between. I look forward to meeting everyone on the road!