Allen Shamblin

Who is Allen Shamblin?

Allen Shamblin is a country music songwriter who was born in Tennessee, and was brought up in Texas.

After graduating from Sam Houston State University he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a song writer. He supported himself by parking cars and working in a warehouse. During live shows he tells stories about his parents sending him money so he could survive. In 1990, Randy Travis took a song Shamblin wrote, about his grandfather, to number one on the country charts. After "He Walked on Water", he followed it up with four more number one songs. He often co-writes with other songwriters. He co-wrote with Steve Seskin for number one hits with Life is a Dance and Don't Laugh at Me. "Don't Laugh at Me" was a hit for Mark Wills and was later recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary resulting in a school program designed to teach children tolerance and prevent bullying in the playground. His biggest song, "I Can't Make You Love Me," was co-written with Mike Reid and was a hit for Bonnie Raitt.

In 2009, Shamblin was inducted into The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association on March 1, 2009 at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas.