# Allen Stone
**Allen Stone** (born 1987) is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Chewelah, Washington, known for a gospel-rooted voice and for building his career through self-released records and heavy touring before signing with a major label.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) • [2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) He describes himself as "a hippie with soul": his vocals and melodic style draw on classic soul and R&B of the 1960s and 1970s, while his lyrics carry an idealism he traces to the folk-inspired singer/songwriters of the same era.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987 in Chewelah, Washington, a small town not far from Spokane[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) |
| Musical roots | Pastor's son; began singing in his father's church at about three and was leading worship at 14[3](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/14/new-band-allen-stone) |
| Early albums | Self-released debut *Last to Speak* (2010); self-titled second album (fall 2011)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) |
| 2011 breakthrough | *Allen Stone* reached No. 2 on iTunes' R&B Top Charts in its first week and cracked the Top 40 of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) |
| Later albums | *Radius* (2015), *Building Balance* (2019, ATO Records), the acoustic *APART* (2021), the *Mystery* EP (2024), the single "Closer" (2025)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) |
| Live workload | Reputation for powerful live shows, playing up to 200 dates a year[2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) |
| Television | Performances on *Conan*, *The Late Show with David Letterman*, and with Ellen DeGeneres; contestant for Washington on NBC's *American Song Contest*[5](https://www.seattlemet.com/arts-and-culture/2012/12/a-fiendish-conversation-with-allen-stone) • [6](https://www.out.com/music/2016/3/15/soul-singer-allen-stone-coming-out-leaving-church-finding-happiness) • [2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) |
## Upbringing in Chewelah
Stone grew up in Chewelah, a rural town of about 2,600 people in eastern Washington near the Idaho border, where his father was a minister and his mother, an obstetrician, sang with what Stone calls a deep vibrato.[7](https://myspace.com/article/2016/10/25/allen-stone-10-things) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) • [8](https://www.kexp.org/read/2018/4/27/exclusive-interview-allen-stone/) Much of his childhood was spent in church, and his strict upbringing kept secular music out of the house; he had little exposure to it as a child.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) By 11 he had picked up a guitar, written his first song, and begun self-recording demo tapes for classmates.[2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone)
The turning point came at about 15, when someone gave him a copy of [Stevie Wonder](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-wonder)'s 1973 album *Innervisions*. "Stevie Wonder is the reason why I sing soul music," Stone has said, recalling that the first song he heard was "Isn't She Lovely" and that he mimicked Wonder's vocals as best he could.[9](https://riffmagazine.com/features/allen-stone-2012/) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) In his teens he also began collecting vintage R&B records and the work of golden-age singer/songwriters.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733)
## Education and move to Seattle
After high school, the 18-year-old Stone left Chewelah for junior college in Spokane, then transferred to Bible college, where he began studying to be a pastor.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) After about a year he concluded that he did not believe the religion central to his upbringing, and he knew telling his parents would be painful; he dropped out and moved to Seattle at 19 to become a professional musician.[6](https://www.out.com/music/2016/3/15/soul-singer-allen-stone-coming-out-leaving-church-finding-happiness) • [10](https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/issues-seattle-2011-12-better-silver-or-gold/) There he kept playing worship music while questioning his beliefs, recorded and released an EP, and performed at the Christian-friendly Q Café in Interbay, where in 2007 the fledgling band manager BJ Olin, then working with the Seattle pop group Barcelona, first saw him and was immediately drawn to his voice.[10](https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/issues-seattle-2011-12-better-silver-or-gold/)
Earlier, as a teenager on the [Christian music](https://www.edgepedia.org/christian-music) circuit, he had befriended the Christian pop artist [Stacie Orrico](https://www.edgepedia.org/stacie-orrico) and attended a [Gospel Music Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/gospel-music-association) conference in Colorado, where a Nashville producer offered to work with him. The resulting songs did not earn a record deal, but after he posted them on MySpace the Atlanta hip-hop producer Bangladesh, known for Ludacris's "What's Your Fantasy," found them and invited him to Atlanta; no recorded material surfaced from those sessions, but Stone has said the experience bolstered his confidence.[10](https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/issues-seattle-2011-12-better-silver-or-gold/)
## Breakthrough, 2010 to 2013
Stone self-released his debut album, *Last to Speak*, in 2010, followed in the fall of 2011 by his self-titled second album.[2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) In its first week the self-released record reached No. 2 on iTunes' R&B Top Charts, and it went on to crack the Top 40 of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) The song "Unaware," a ballad he described as fueled by the economic crisis, became his signature early track; he shot its video in his mother's living room, and a clip of that performance helped generate much of his early audience.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) • [11](https://beat.com.au/allen-stone/)
Live performance drove the rest. He played Sundance in 2011 to a standing ovation from an audience of industry executives, a moment he credits with getting the snowball going, and played close to 200 shows that year.[12](https://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/interview-allen-stone-the-next-great-soul-singer/?print=1) His late-night television debut on *Conan* and later appearances on *The Late Show with David Letterman* and with [Ellen DeGeneres](https://www.edgepedia.org/ellen-degeneres) introduced a wider public to the barefoot singer in thick glasses belting classic-sounding soul; he was named VH1's "You Oughta Know" artist for January 2013.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers) • [5](https://www.seattlemet.com/arts-and-culture/2012/12/a-fiendish-conversation-with-allen-stone) • [6](https://www.out.com/music/2016/3/15/soul-singer-allen-stone-coming-out-leaving-church-finding-happiness) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/14/new-band-allen-stone) The self-titled album was re-released by ATO Records, and he later signed with Capitol after laying substantial career groundwork.[11](https://beat.com.au/allen-stone/) • [13](https://www.musicconnection.com/allen-stone-label-deal/)
## Later albums
Stone's catalog has moved through several styles while keeping the soul foundation. *Radius* (2015) and *Building Balance* (2019) adopted a mix of contemporary and 1990s R&B influences; *Building Balance*, his third studio album on ATO Records, includes the songs "Brown Eyed Lover," "Sunny Days," and "Consider Me."[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) • [14](https://www.ticketmaster.com/Allen-Stone-tickets/artist/1479871?tt_scene=anchor_view) In 2018 he released the single "Brown Eyed Lover" and appeared on *American Idol* singing a duet version of "Unaware" with contestant Dennis Lorenzo.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733)
His fifth full-length album, *APART* (2021), reworked songs from his catalog in stripped-down acoustic form; it was recorded in a converted cabin during the pandemic.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733) • [2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) He followed with the dance-friendly *Mystery* EP in 2024 and the 2025 single "Closer."[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733)
## Style and reception
Stone's sound blends edgy soul-pop, earthy folk-rock, throwback R&B, and Parliament-inspired funk, carried by a gospel-bred voice that critics have compared to Stevie Wonder's.[2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/14/new-band-allen-stone) [USA Today](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-today) called him a "pitch-perfect powerhouse," and the New York Times likened his socially conscious music to that of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and [Bill Withers](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-withers).[15](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/allen-stone/biography/) Not every review was admiring: a 2013 Guardian profile argued that he reproduces the vocal tics of the golden era of soul without its spirit of breaking with tradition.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/14/new-band-allen-stone)
His stage persona is part of the effect. He performs in trademark Coke-bottle glasses and a cardigan, and he has said he does not particularly like to improvise vocal flourishes or stray from the melody live, preferring to deliver the song as written.[16](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/music-allen-stone-old-soul-in-a-youthful-figure/2011/11/08/gIQAbkRB3M_story.html) • [7](https://myspace.com/article/2016/10/25/allen-stone-10-things) In 2022 he represented Washington on NBC's *American Song Contest* with the song "A Little Bit of Both," and he has continued to make Washington his home base, residing in Spokane.[2](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone)
## References
1. [Allen Stone — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-stone-mn0002806733)
2. [Washington – Allen Stone: American Song Contest contestant, NBC.com](https://www.nbc.com/american-song-contest/credits/contestant/season-1/washington-allen-stone)
3. [Allen Stone (No 1,430), The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/14/new-band-allen-stone)
4. [Allen Stone aims to change perception of soul singers, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-12-01/allen-stone-aims-to-change-perception-of-soul-singers)
5. [A Fiendish Conversation with Allen Stone, Seattle Met](https://www.seattlemet.com/arts-and-culture/2012/12/a-fiendish-conversation-with-allen-stone)
6. [Soul Singer Allen Stone on Leaving the Church & Finding Happiness, Out.com](https://www.out.com/music/2016/3/15/soul-singer-allen-stone-coming-out-leaving-church-finding-happiness)
7. [10 Things You Should Know About Allen Stone, MySpace](https://myspace.com/article/2016/10/25/allen-stone-10-things)
8. [Exclusive Interview: Allen Stone, KEXP](https://www.kexp.org/read/2018/4/27/exclusive-interview-allen-stone/)
9. [Allen Stone influenced by Stevie Wonder, his faith, Riff Magazine](https://riffmagazine.com/features/allen-stone-2012/)
10. [Allen Stone: Better than Silver or Gold, City Arts Magazine](https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/issues-seattle-2011-12-better-silver-or-gold/)
11. [Allen Stone, Beat Magazine](https://beat.com.au/allen-stone/)
12. [Interview: Allen Stone, the Next Great Soul Singer?, Grantland](https://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/interview-allen-stone-the-next-great-soul-singer/?print=1)
13. [Signing Story: Allen Stone – How He Got a Label Deal, Music Connection Magazine](https://www.musicconnection.com/allen-stone-label-deal/)
14. [Allen Stone Tickets, Ticketmaster](https://www.ticketmaster.com/Allen-Stone-tickets/artist/1479871?tt_scene=anchor_view)
15. [BIOGRAPHY – アレン・ストーン, Universal Music Japan](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/allen-stone/biography/)
16. [Music: Allen Stone, old soul in a youthful figure, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/music-allen-stone-old-soul-in-a-youthful-figure/2011/11/08/gIQAbkRB3M_story.html)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › R&B singers, 2010s to present › Surnames P to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license