Jimmie Allen recently appeared alongside his “Freedom Was A Highway” collaborator Brad Paisley during a Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series performance. As well, he recorded an interview in which he revealed the motivations behind writing his forthcoming children’s book My Voice is a Trumpet, as well as the once-again new parent’s advice for his children and career goals.
Regarding the recently retooled “Gold Edition” version of his 2020-released Bettie James EP, he spoke highly of all of the collaborations, but of the previously-released Darius Rucker and Charley Pride pairing for the track “Why Things Happen,” the rising country star noted, “[the song] was written the day after Kobe Bryant died, and was a great song to be a part of. Darius [Rucker] and I are in country music because of Charley.” Regarding being two African-American country stars who recorded a song with a groundbreaking Black country star like Pride, Allen added, “How many people can say they got to record a song with their hero?”.
Allen, now the proud father of a son, Aadyn, and a newborn daughter Naomi, also offered that his most significant career goal moving forward was to “create a brighter future for his family and children.” He continued, “I want my kids to [be successful by focusing] on being themselves, and no matter how different from the pack they are…that as long as they’re happy doing what they’re doing,” he expects their success to be “automatic.”
Regarding his children’s book, My Voice is a Trumpet — due July 13 — he says, “It’s about teaching kids to use their voices when they’re young, to confidently speak up for themselves, plus encourage themselves and others.” Allen’s book can be pre-ordered via amazon.com.
