Award-winning country artist Jimmie Allen opens up about going through a hard season in life when CCM was a lifeline for him, especially Maverick City Music's songs.
Jimmy Allen is the first black country artist to start a career with two consecutive No. 1 hits on country radio. He moved to Nashville a decade ago at which time he led worship at The People's Church in Franklin (now Church of the City).
Allen opened up to Christian Headlines recently about a dark season of life he faced recently.
"About a year ago, I was in a rough place. And Maverick City Music's music saved my life – literally," Allen shared in his interview with Christian Headlines. "And I got to meet Chandler [Moore] from Maverick City Music, and I told him that. ... Every genre is important, but for, personally, there's something special about Christian music that grounds me and takes me back to my roots, and kind of re-focuses me on where I need to be and what I need to do."
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He shared that growing up in a Christian home, his musical influences were Mike Purkey, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Fred Hammond, Bee Bee and Ce Ce Wynans, DC Talk and Andrae Crouch. Now in the Nashville country spotlight, he's collaborated with a few Christian artists including Chris Tomlin and Tauren Wells.
"It took me 10 and a half years to get a record deal in Nashville. And without patience, it wouldn't have happened," he said, adding that he lets "God fight the battle."
"Because a lot of times, we want to step in there and help Him, and the only thing we're doing is getting in His way."
This fall Allen will join Carrie Underwood's Denim and Rhinestones Tour across the U.S. hitting 43 of the 50 states.