Joe would take him out for a walk that would end up at the corner bar where Joe would sit Allen on a stool, drop a quarter in the jukebox and step outside with his friends to drink a little bit of wine. While waiting there, Allen would hear all the greats… Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed as well as Ethel Merman, Howard Keel, Dewayne Eddy, Elvis, The Moonglows and the Spaniels. Those days laid the beginnings of a lifelong passion for music.
Growing up in the tough west side neighborhoods of 1950’s Chicago, he didn’t have much. Many times, Allen’s Uncle
As a teen, baseball was his claim to fame, but there was a different dream calling. Allen Kirk has been a natural since the day in 1965 when he sat behind Dirty Red’s drum kit and started playing favorite soul hits.
Allen paid his dues on Halsted Street backing up many of Chicago’s greatest at the Kingston Mines. Across the street at B.L.U.E.S. he worked with Sunnyland Slim, Bob Stroger, Steve Freund and Sam Burkhardt and legendary blues drummer Robert Covington. It was Robert who took Allen under his wing and schooled him in the blues shuffle. Allen filled in for Covington behind Sunnyland and later again took Robert’s place when he left Mississippi Heat .
From the sizzling shuffles of Magic Slim & The Teardrops, the hard biting grooves of James Solberg, the sweet and soulful sounds of Deitra Farr to the funky rhythms of Johnny Rawls, Allen has mastered the art of staying in the pocket. In 2003, Allen was the drumming force behind Magic Slim and the Teardrops’ W. C. Handy Band of the Year Award.
Currently based in Minneapolis MN, Allen can be found performing both locally and on the road with a variety of artists from Johnny Rawls to the Twin Cities’ John Lindberg & Jimi "Prime Time" Smith. He enjoys carrying on the tradition of teaching the younger drummers how to play the blues.
Chicago Blues Fest 2007
Story and photos courtesy of Gary Eckhart
Blue Monday Monthly
www.myspace.com/bluemondaymonthly
For those that don't know Allen he is a W.C Handy Award winner, and has played drums with some of the best, James Solberg, Johnny Rawls, "Big Time" Sarah, the list is long and talented. After checking in at the hotel, we made a beeline down to Grant Park were the fest was being held. The best way to
put this is that Allen knows all the big time blues men and women. Hi Allen "Eddie Shaw", Hey Allen "John Primer" whats going on brother, J.C "Blue Jay" Williams. I met Willie "The Touch" Hayes, Melvin Smith ( Bass player for Koko Taylor) and Koko Taylor and this was in the first hour. Who is this guy I asked myself "The Pope of the Blues". It was obvious that Allen had been a big part of the Blues scene in Chicago and is a person who demands and gets respect. How was I treated, like a king. I got a back stage pass and pit pass for the show. 










