CHEWING ON BEST NEW ARTISTS: JIMMIE ALLEN

We're breaking out the entries from our recent Best New Artist Grammy overview into solo turns. This time: Jimmie Allen.

The number of Nashville stars who contributed to Allen’s album-length collaborative version of his Bettie James EP (BBR/Stoney Creek) underscored the impact he’d made during his short time in the limelight. One of a handful of country artists of color who are enlarging the cultural perception—and stylistic reach—of the genre, Allen is the real deal, melding classic and new-school influences while reinforcing the fundamentals.

See our entire BNA breakdown here.