Photo Credit: John Shearer

Current ACM New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen will release his new album Bettie James Gold Edition on June 25, 2021, via BBR Music Group / Stoney Creek Records. The 16-track album doubles down on Allen’s expansive love for music across genres, with nine brand new collaborations in addition to the seven previously featured on Bettie James. The album is available for pre-add and pre-save now.

Bettie James Gold Edition is a continued tribute to Allen’s late father, James Allen, and late grandmother, Bettie Snead, who passed away in September 2019 and February 2014 respectively. The release of Bettie James Gold Edition follows the monumental success of its predecessor, Bettie James, a seven-track project released July 2020 which featured a wide array of artists from across genres and generations including Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Nelly, Noah Cyrus, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rita Wilson, Tauren Wells, and Tim McGraw. The project has since amassed more than 155 million streams, garnered both fan and critical acclaim, and further established Allen as Country’s next superstar.

Bettie James Gold Edition Track List:

1. “Get Country” – Jimmie Allen, LOCASH

2. “Home Sweet Hometown” – Jimmie Allen, LANCO

3 “Flavor (feat. Vikina)” – Jimmie Allen, Pitbull

4. “Somebody” – Jimmie Allen, BRELAND, Lathan Warlick

5. “Pray (feat. Vikina)” – Jimmie Allen, Monica, Little Big Town

6. “Boy Gets A Truck” – Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban

7. “Livin’ Man” – Jimmie Allen, Neon Union

8. “Tequila Talkin’” – Jimmie Allen, Lindsay Ell

9. “Forever” – Jimmie Allen, Babyface

10. “Good Times Roll” – Jimmie Allen, Nelly

11. “Drunk & I Miss You” – Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton

12. “Made For These” – Jimmie Allen, Tim McGraw

13. “Freedom Was A Highway” – Jimmie Allen, Brad Paisley

14. “Why Things Happen” – Jimmie Allen, Darius Rucker, Charley Pride

15. “When This Is Over (feat. The Oak Ridge Boys)” – Jimmie Allen, Tauren Wells, Rita Wilson

16. “This Is Us” – Jimmie Allen, Noah Cyrus

Rolling Stone had positive things to say about the album.  “The highlight of Bettie James is this questioning ballad, which features vocals from Darius Rucker and Country Music Hall of Fame member Charley Pride… released during nationwide protests against police brutality in a surging pandemic, ‘Why Things Happen’ PERFECTLY CAPTURED A BROKEN NATION IN MOURNING.”

2021 shows no signs of Jimmie Allen slowing down. His current hit single “Freedom Was A Highway” with Brad Paisley is currently Top 30 at Country radio and was hailed No. 1 on Taste of Country’s “10 Hottest Songs For Summer 2021.” The duo most recently performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Jimmie will appear and perform “Freedom Was A Highway” with Paisley on July 5 as part of Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series. He will then be heading out on the road with Brad Paisley as his special guest on Paisley’s Tour 2021 from July 8 through October 9. Full tour dates can be found at https://www.jimmieallenmusic.com/. Jimmie recently appeared on the prestigious 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors, performing “The Thunder Rolls” and “Friends in Low Places” in tribute to Honoree Garth Brooks. Jimmie performed the National Anthem before the start of the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 30. USA Today lauded that he brought a “soulful, soothing twang to his rendition” of the song, while the Indianapolis Star praising that he offered a “gentle and powerful rendition of the national anthem that many lauded as a success.”  Jimmie Allen has performed on The Kennedy Center Honors, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, Jimmy Kimmel Live! Good Morning America, TODAY, American Idol, Tamron Hall Show, The Steve Harvey Show, ACM Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Music Awards, and more.

Jimmie is set to perform on the upcoming “Juneteenth: Together We Triumph – A ‘Soul of a Nation’ Special Event” on June 18 on ABC. The powerful special event will present an enriching evening of celebration and resilience in observance of Juneteenth. On June 19, Jimmie Allen will perform as part of the first-ever Juneteenth Unityfest, a national live-streamed event hosted by The Robert Randolph Foundation. The inaugural, multi-city event will celebrate Black culture and Juneteenth as a uniquely American experience; it will feature musical performances, inspiring remarks, films, comedy, storytelling, and appearances by civic leaders and influencers. He is also a featured artist on Apple Music’s Juneteenth 2021: Freedom Songs compilation, providing a poignant cover of “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” by the late Charley Pride, one of Allen’s musical heroes and collaborators.

This year also saw the renewal of Allen’s worldwide publishing agreement with Endurance Music Group. Allen signed rising songwriter Tate Howell to his newly launched Bettie James Music Publishing company. Allen will publish his debut picture book, My Voice Is a Trumpet, with Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers on July 13. The book is a powerful story about speaking up for what you believe in (at any age) and celebrates the many types of voices that can affect change. Jimmie is also included in The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s annual American Currents: State of the Music exhibit which runs through February 2022.

For more information on Allen, visit www.jimmieallenmusic.com or follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Visit https://thinkcountrymusic.com/ for even more articles, features, interviews and reviews.  Think Country is always bringing country closer.

*Featured photo credit: John Shearer