Jimmie Allen Determined to Give Music His ‘Best Shot’

Jimmie Allen’s debut single, “Best Shot,” from his just-released freshman Mercury Lane album, is already in the Top 10, and still climbing. It might be surprising to some, but not to Allen, who never planned to do anything else but music.

“Music is the only thing I’m good at really,” Allen told CMT. “My grandma told me years ago, ‘It’s impossible to put 100 percent into two different things. One day one of them is going to suffer.’ So, I never had a backup plan and put 100 percent into music. I figured if I’m honest with myself, and my talent, and I work on it and give myself a good eight to 12 years it will happen. And it happened in ten.”

Not that Allen is an overnight success. The 33-year-old moved to Nashville more than a decade ago, but struggled to make enough, even living out of his car for a time. But through it all, Allen never lost sight of his end goal. So when he co-wrote “Best Shot” with Josh London and J.P. Williams, he knew the uplifting song was the perfect way to introduce himself to country music fans.

“I feel like people are always trying to find the solution to making a world a better place,” Allen explained. “I honestly believe that the solution is taking each day as an opportunity to examine yourself and figure out how you can become a better person. I feel like once you really focus on yourself and figure out ways to be better, you can’t help but treat everyone else with love and respect.”

It’s because of Allen’s struggles that he is the man, and now father, he is today, and he wouldn’t trade any of it.

“We all want to be good people and live the life we’ve dreamed about,” Allen said. “And I think it all starts with our own personal mindset. For me over the years, as I’ve gotten older and become a dad, I’ve really focused on how do I be a better example for my son, my friends and people I meet when I’m at the grocery store.”

Like any other artist, Allen wants to keep building his career. But more than that, the Delaware native hopes people take away something positive from him and his music.

“Of course I’d love for people to enjoy the album but beyond that, I really hope people connect with it and take something away from it,” he told PopCulture.com, “whether it encourages them to not quit on their dreams, inspires them to try harder, helps them navigate a relationship, teaches them something about life or just makes them pick up the phone and call their grandma.”

Purchase Mercury Lane, and find a list of Allen’s upcoming shows, including his dates with Scotty McCreery, at JimmieAllenMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Erika Goldring