The Health Scare Jimmie Allen Had When He Was 21
Country music star Jimmie Allen made history when he became the first Black artist to kick off his music career in the country genre with a No. 1 single, per The Washington Post. Before that, he was virtually unknown to the masses. In an interview with the publication, the rising star admitted that it was a bittersweet accomplishment, stating, "It was cool. But at the same time, I was sad about it. Because it sucks that I'm the first ... I was excited and sad at the same time." Allen added that his hope is that the next Black singer to make their way into country music won't garner so much attention for being Black. "I want it to be where it's not a thing anymore," he said.
Allen launched his music career with his catchy single, "Best Shot," which led to the release of his debut album, "Mercury Lane," in October 2018. Speaking to Taste of Country, the artist revealed how he got into country music. "My dad introduced me to country music through Aaron Tippin's music," the singer explained. "I remember when I called my dad and told him I was getting a record deal. He was so excited."
It hasn't been an easy road to accomplish all that Allen has in the past few years, especially considering a nearly fatal health scare he experienced when he was just 21 years old. Keep reading to find out more.
Jimmie Allen's health scare was hereditary
Long before Jimmie Allen shot to fame as a country singer, he was a young adult making his way into the world. On the cusp of adulthood, at the age of 21, the "Freedom Was a Highway" singer experienced a nearly fatal health scare in the form of a heart attack, according to Taste of Country. Despite his young age, Allen reported not being surprised that he went through such a scary experience, as the heart condition that led to the attack was hereditary.
"My dad had a heart attack at 22, and has had to have a couple bypass surgeries—and his dad had a heart attack at 23," he explained to the publication. "So yeah, the heart condition is something that we were born with. It's kinda like once the heart attack happens, then the doctors know how to treat you and move forward."
The "Make Me Want To" singer may have inherited his father's heart condition, but has fortunately not had to experience the diabetes that left his father without a leg. He currently balances his music career with taking care of his father and his son, and believes he is a stronger person because of it. "I've learned over the last couple of months that finding reasons why is what keeps you going. When you start to doubt yourself, you remember why you are doing it and who you are doing it for," Allen told Taste of Country.
Jimmie Allen's road to success involved plenty of struggle
Even without experiencing a heart attack at the age of 21, Jimmie Allen had plenty of obstacles to overcome in his journey to stardom. Speaking to The Washington Post, the country star reported that his struggles have given him perspective and taught him determination to never give up. For instance, when Allen moved to Nashville in an attempt to kick-start his career, he didn't have enough money to rent an apartment and had to live in his car.
"I really got to figure out how bad I wanted it," the "This Is Us" artist said. "Struggle is what builds character, so it was cool to dive in. It helped me figure out who I was as a man as well as an artist." While he was trying to get noticed for his music, Allen worked at a local gym and spent the rest of his time writing music and trying to forge connections in the industry.
Allen experienced multiple rejections before finally connecting with Ash Bowers, who would go on to become the singer's producer, publisher, and manager. The "Don't You Wanna Know" singer described his motivation once he got a foot in the door. "People were like, 'How far do you want to get it? Top 20? Top 10?,'" he said. "And I said, 'I want to get it to No. 1!' Why would I want to settle for anything less than as high as it could go?" It looks like Allen's hard work has paid off.