{"id":63850,"date":"2026-05-04T18:11:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T18:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/calder-allen-grandson-of-terry-allen-is-texas-songwriting-royalty\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T18:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T18:11:36","slug":"calder-allen-grandson-of-terry-allen-is-texas-songwriting-royalty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/calder-allen-grandson-of-terry-allen-is-texas-songwriting-royalty\/","title":{"rendered":"Calder Allen, Grandson of Terry Allen, Is Texas Songwriting Royalty"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tDespite being born into a family of Texas songwriting royalty, it took <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/calder-allen\/\" id=\"auto-tag_calder-allen\" data-tag=\"calder-allen\">Calder Allen<\/a> a while to come into his own. He may have been raised in Austin, the grandson of musicians Terry and Jo Harvey Allen, but Calder\u2019s original goal was to simply become a fly fisherman. He even had a chance to work for one of his mentors, J.T. Van Zandt \u2014 yes, the son of Townes \u2014 as a guide on the Texas coast. But just as Allen was getting his feet wet in the guiding business, his family history grabbed him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cI knew that I had to give music a fair chance,\u201d Allen says. \u201cTo this day, it\u2019s still one of the hardest no\u2019s that I\u2019ve ever had to say.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBut Allen\u2019s decision is proving to be a fruitful one. Last March, he released his latest album, <em>Fault Lines<\/em>, an eight-song LP reckoning with life choices that helped him grow his fan base outside of his native Texas. On the Fourth of July, Allen will further widen his reach when he performs at <a data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/noah-kahan-stateside-festival-july-4th-1235553161\/\" data-type=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/noah-kahan-stateside-festival-july-4th-1235553161\/\">Stateside<\/a>, <em>Rolling Stone\u2019<\/em>s first-ever music festival, slated for Independence Day in Kingston, New York, with headliner Noah Kahan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t<em>Fault Lines<\/em> came together after Allen wrote the title track, an ominous, unrelenting rocker about the weighty decision he made to drop out of the University of Montana in pursuit of music. Against a backdrop of electric strings, drums, and accordion, Allen sings, \u201cMama, please don\u2019t cry too hard\/I\u2019m not a falling star, I\u2019m just lost in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cFor me, the title track explains the whole album,\u201d Allen says. \u201cIt\u2019s a song I wrote when I dropped out of school. It was one of those days where I\u2019ll remember, like, the smell of when I left college. My brother picked me up from my dorm, and we started driving, and I said, \u2018I feel really weird.\u2019 He goes, \u2018Do you feel like you made a mistake?\u2019 I said, \u2018No. I feel like a new chapter is starting.\u2019 I wrote this song thinking about the conversation I had with my mom about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAllen recorded the project at Austin\u2019s venerable Arlyn Studios, with renowned guitarist \u2014 and mentor to Allen \u2014\u00a0Charlie Sexton co-producing along with Jacob Sciba. That same duo worked on all three of Allen\u2019s records. \u201cThey\u2019re really collaborative and fair and easy and efficient, and by this record, it was like we were talking through telekinesis,\u201d Allen says of the recording process.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ editors-pick-module lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Calder Allen - Fault Lines (Live at Arlyn Studios)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q9SAZ2TcQx0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tSexton also makes a guest appearance on <em>Fault Lines<\/em>, along with Texas mainstays Jon Randall and Jack Ingram. One of the album\u2019s early singles, \u201cHowl,\u201d features the Chicks\u2019 Martie Maguire contributing vocals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAllen\u2019s upbringing \u2014 his childhood holidays were spent at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/terry-allen\/\" id=\"auto-tag_terry-allen\" data-tag=\"terry-allen\">Terry Allen<\/a>\u2019s house while his grandfather hosted his singer-songwriter friends \u2014 means he has spent most of his life running in musical circles. He looks to Ryan Bingham as a contemporary influence on his songwriting and approach to touring. Last fall, Bingham invited Allen to join him at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/ryan-bingham-texas-gentlemen-new-album-interview-1235517668\/\">two-night stand<\/a> in Tulsa at Cain\u2019s Ballroom. The idea had been for Allen to sit in on a song or two, but mostly it was just to give him some hang time with Bingham and Bingham\u2019s band the Texas Gentlemen. At the end of the first night, Bingham upped the invitation, asking Allen to cancel his plans to go home and jump on the bus for a week of shows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cThat was just really him,\u201d Bingham tells <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> about bringing Allen on tour. \u201cHis whole persona, his energy is really honest and good. I\u2019d heard about him years ago, and I met him when he was a little kid and I was running around with Terry. First time I heard his music, Charlie Sexton sent me some songs they\u2019d been working on. Then, I met him again, and heard him sing, and I just thought, <em>this kid\u2019s got some mojo to him<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThere\u2019s more music on the way from Allen this spring, and it\u2019s a true family affair. Terry and Jo Harvey Allen have been working on a multi-generational project called <em>Blood Sucking Maniacs<\/em>, which features five generations of Allens performing, if you count the then-fetal heartbeat of Calder Allen\u2019s nephew, Lucky Marlo, that makes up the record\u2019s opening and closing tracks. (The project is <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/5hmqJqiZU44KQkuZlKEqep?si=GH6vnpl-TS6WJYwKi5lrRg\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/5hmqJqiZU44KQkuZlKEqep?si=GH6vnpl-TS6WJYwKi5lrRg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">out now<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cMy grandpa found these old recordings of his mom playing piano, and it kind of spurred this whole thing of, \u2018What if we all came together and made this record?\u2019 We did that so we could say it\u2019s a five-generation album,\u201d Allen says. \u201cIt\u2019s always been that way in our family, always collaborative.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBingham and Sexton are far from the only mainstays in Texas and Americana circles to take note of Allen. He spent long stretches opening for Shane Smith and the Saints, Turnpike Troubadours, and Cody Jinks. And while he\u2019s only been touring earnestly for around five years and considers his live show a work in progress, it\u2019s easy to get the sense that Allen made the right decision back in Montana.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules trending-in-article lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s really just a feeling of, can I get in the song?\u201d he says of his approach to writing and recording. \u201cAre the tempos lining up, and can I feel what\u2019s happening? Then, you can tell by the audience reaction, if they\u2019re enjoying it.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t<em>Josh Crutchmer is a journalist and author whose book <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/backloungepublishing.com\/almostalmostfamous\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><em>(Almost) Almost Famous<\/em><\/a><em> is available now via Back Lounge Publishing.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/calder-allen-terry-allen-texas-fault-lines-1235557250\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite being born into a family of Texas songwriting royalty, it took Calder Allen a while to come into his own. He may have&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":63851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pop","article","has-excerpt","has-avatar","has-author","has-date","has-comment-count","has-category-meta","has-read-more","thumbnail-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63850\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}