WASHINGTON - ALLEN STONE

State: Washington

Hometown: Chewelah, WA

Resident: Spokane, WA

Song title: "A Little Bit of Both"

Allen Stone was raised in the small town of Chewelah, Washington, and grew up on gospel music, spending much of his childhood as a pastor’s son watching his parents lead their congregation in song. By the time he was 11, he’d picked up a guitar, wrote his first song and soon began self-recording demo tapes to pass along to classmates. After dropping out of college, he moved to Seattle to kickstart his music career, often driving up and down the West Coast to play any and all gigs he could. He quickly developed a reputation for powerful live shows, playing up to 200 dates a year. In the years since, Allen has built a devoted following on the strength of his ability to channel a weight-of-the-world sensitivity into his songs while still radiating hope and promise. His easy grace in blending everything from edgy soul-pop and earthy folk-rock to throwback R&B and Parliament-inspired funk is reflected in his five full length albums – from his 2010 self-released debut album, “Last to Speak,” to 2021’s “Apart,” an intimate album recorded in a converted cabin during the pandemic. As a performer who has traveled the world, coming back to Washington has always been the only place Allen wants to call home. He is honored to be representing his state in this competition.