Allen Shamblin is a country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

 who was born in Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, and was brought up in Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

.

After graduating from Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...

 he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a song writer. He supported himself by parking cars and working in a warehouse. During live shows he tells stories about his parents sending him money so he could survive. In 1990, Randy Travis

Randy Travis

Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...

 took a song Shamblin wrote, about his grandfather, to number one on the country charts. After "He Walked on Water", he followed it up with four more number one songs. He often co-writes with other songwriters. He co-wrote with Steve Seskin for number one hits with Life is a Dance and Don't Laugh at Me. "Don't Laugh at Me" was a hit for Mark Wills

Mark Wills

Daryl Mark Williams is an American country music artist, best known professionally as Mark Wills. Signed to Mercury Records between 1996 and 2003, he released five studio albums for the label — Mark Wills, Wish You Were Here, Permanently, Loving Every Minute and And the Crowd Goes Wild — as well...

 and was later recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary resulting in a school program designed to teach tolerance and prevent bulling to school children. His biggest song, "I Can't Make You Love Me," was co-written with Mike Reid

Mike Reid

Michael or Mike Reid may refer to:*Mike Reid , English comedian and actor, best known for his role as Frank Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders*Mike Reid , American golfer...

 and was a hit for Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...

.

In 2009, Shamblin was inducted into The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association on March 1, 2009 at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas.

Songs

• Don't Laugh at Me
  Don't Laugh at Me
  "Don't Laugh at Me" is the title of a song written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin. It was recorded by American country music artist Mark Wills and released in July 1998 as the second single from his 1998 album Wish You Were Here. Like "I Do " before it, "Don't Laugh at Me" was a number 2 hit on...
  
  
• He Walked on Water
  He Walked on Water
  "He Walked on Water" is a country music song written by Allen Shamblin and recorded by American country music singer Randy Travis on his 1989 album No Holdin' Back, from which it was released as the third and final single...
  
  
• Thinkin' Problem
  Thinkin' Problem (song)
  "Thinkin' Problem" is the title of a country music song co-written and recorded by American country music singer David Ball. Ball co-wrote the song with Allen Shamblin and Stuart Ziff...
  
  
• I Can't Make You Love Me
  I Can't Make You Love Me
  "I Can't Make You Love Me" is a 1991 popular song, written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and recorded by Bonnie Raitt on her Luck of the Draw album from that year. In August 2000, Mojo magazine voted "I Can't Make You Love Me" #8 on its The 100 Greatest Songs Of All Time list...
  
  
• Why
  Why (Rascal Flatts song)
  "Why" is the title of a song recorded by American country band Rascal Flatts. It is the third single from their sixth studio album, Unstoppable. It was released to radio stations on September 29, 2009 and debuted at #44 on the U.S. Billboard US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of...
  
  
• The House That Built Me
  The House That Built Me
  "The House That Built Me" is a song written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, and recorded by American country artist Miranda Lambert. It was released in March 2010 as the third single from her third studio album, Revolution. It is the fastest-rising single of her career, reaching the Top 20 in...
  
  
• Where the Blacktop Ends
  Where the Blacktop Ends
  "Where the Blacktop Ends" is the title of a song written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Wariner, and recorded by country music singer Keith Urban. It was released in April 2001 as the last single from Urban's self-titled album and the third Top Five single of his career, reaching a peak of #3 on the...
  
  

External links