Both of the albums Jimmie Allen has released so far have had a personal family connection: His debut, Mercury Lane, was named after the street he grew up on. His next projects, Bettie James and its lengthened Bettie James Gold Edition, were named for his late grandmother Bettie Snead and his late father, James “Big Jim” Allen.
“You know, I’m very sentimental,” the singer explains to ABC Audio. “I love things about my family, my hometown.”
Still, he’s never dug quite as deep into his personal life as he will on his next album, Tulip Drive, which arrives Friday, June 24.
By now, fans who’ve been following Jimmie’s career won’t be surprised to learn that the album takes its name from a real place in Jimmie’s past. His grandmother lived on Tulip Drive when he was a kid.
“This album…is all about the street my grandmom lived on, things I experienced when visiting her there and even living with her for a little bit,” Jimmie says. “Talking about relationships with friends, family — girls I dated before, in high school and in college.”
But the autobiographical inspiration behind the album doesn’t stop there. “This is the first album where every song on the album is directly from a moment in my life,” the singer reveals. “This is a part of my career and my musical journey that I’ve been wanting to share, you know? Something a little bit more personal.”
When Jimmie started making his new record, he knew it was time. “I was like, ‘You know what? We’re gonna do that on Tulip Drive,’” he recounts.
Tulip Drive will be out on Friday, June 24. The lead single, “Down Home,” is a powerful and personal tribute to the memory of his dad.
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