Terry Allen, born May 7, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas, is an American singer-songwriter and visual artist. He learned to play piano from his mother and wrote his first song, "Red Bird", in high school. In 1975, Allen released his debut album Juarez, followed by Lubbock (On Everything) in 1979, which featured lyrics about growing up in Lubbock, Texas. His work has been covered by notable artists such as Bobby Bare and Lucinda Williams. Throughout his career, Allen has released several albums of original songs, including Smokin' the Dummy (1980) and Bloodlines (1983). He has also collaborated on various projects, notably with David Byrne on the soundtrack for the film True Stories. Allen's visual art includes painting, conceptual art, performance, and sculpture.
