Jon Allen

June 1st marks the release of ‘Dead Man’s Suit’ the debut long-player from South Devon’s finest, Jon Allen. Sitting comfortably with contemporaries such as Ryan Adams and Damien Rice, whilst being unmistakeably evocative of the folk-rock scene of the late 60s/ early 70s.A confident performer - opening for the likes of Mark Knopfler, Emmylou Harris, KT Tunstall, Jose Gonzalez and Damien Rice has not fazed him - wowing audiences in the process in venues from the miniscule 12 Bar all the way up to Wembley Arena. The critically acclaimed first single ‘Going Home’, championed by Radio 1’s Jo Whiley, featured on the worldwide Land Rover TV commercial this year, achieving a respectable 20,000 downloads from Jon’s website off the back of the advert. The proceeds gave Jon the freedom to self-fund the recording of his album and media campaign. ‘Dead Mans Suit’ shows an eclectic range of influences, from early Rod Stewart and the Faces to the legendary and lamented John Martyn in his ‘Solid Air’ era. Jon echoes Martyns spirit and reflectiveness and at the same time shows that he knows how to pen a good hook. The album kicks off with ‘Dead Man’s Suit’, which despite the name is an uplifting melodic tune in which Rod Argent (Zombies)-style organ plays a significant role throughout the song. This contrasts with the soulful ballad ‘In Your Light’, which has achieved significant praise at BBC Radio 2, riding high on the A list, having already been championed by the likes of Johnnie Walker and Bob Harris, with a session booked with Bob for May. ‘Dead Mans Suit’ is a testament to the art of quality songwriting - Jon studied at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts founded by Paul McCartney, who has praised Jon on his penmanship and offered up help in the form of writing sessions with the great man. That experience helped Jon find fans in the likes of songwriting heavyweights such as Guy Chambers amongst others. Jon Allen has already achieved a lot in his short career and has been praised by some of the music industry’s great and good. Just like his growing audience, they’ve all seen the prospect of Jon as a long-term, career- sustaining artist, whose authentic songs will not go out of fashion. Single ‘In Your Light’ is out now on Monologue Records.Debut Album ‘Dead Man’s Suit’ is released June 1st on Monologue Records – review copies coming soon!Tour Dates - below, review and competition tickets are available.15th April - The Cluny, Newcastle Upon Tyne17th April - The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen19th April - Brundenell, Leeds22nd April - Ginglik, London23rd April - The Stables, Milton Keynes28th April - Manchester Academy, Manchester30th April - Cox's Yard, Stratford Upon Thames1st May - The Plug, Sheffield2nd May - The Duchess, York3rd May - The Cellars, Eastney Nr Portsmouth4th May - The Robin, Wolverhampton8th June - Baby Blue, Liverpool16th June - King Tuts, Glasgow18th June - The Glee Club - Birmingham