Born 79 Years Ago Today in the Windy City, the Son of a Singing Cowboy Legend Who Became a Country Hitmaker in His Own Right

Being a musician with a famous musician parent has its perks. But when it comes to Rex Elvis Allen Jr., he had the talent to go all the way even without a famous dad, though he certainly inherited Rex Allen’s talent. And this iconic countrypolitan singer was born on this very day, August 23, 1947. Let’s celebrate Allen Jr.’s legacy in country music by looking back at his rich career in the genre, shall we?

The Career and Legacy of Rex Elvie Allen Jr.

Rex Elvie Allen Jr. was born on August 23, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. Allen Jr.’s father was Rex Allen, a famous Western film actor and singer-songwriter in cowboy country music. Rex Allen was known as “The Arizona Cowboy” and even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his roles in famous Western films.

Allen Jr. had big shoes to fill, obviously. Thankfully, he had just as much talent as his father. Allen Jr. opted to go the countrypolitan route with his career. And he scored a number of major hits in the 1970s and early 1980s. A few such hits by Allen Jr. include “Goodbye” from 1974, “Lonely Street” from 1977, and “It’s Over” from 1980. He is also known for his duet with Margo Smith, “Cup Of Tea”, from 1980. 

Allen Jr. released countless Top 40 songs on the country charts in both the US and Canada. “Goodbye” was also a bit of a crossover hit that made it to No. 34 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the US. Just as well, Arizona natives might also remember Rex Elvie Allen Jr. for composing the unofficial theme of the state, “Arizona”.

Toward the later years of his career, Allen Jr. was a mainstay on The Statler Brothers Show in the 1990s. He famously hosted the show’s spinoff series, Yesteryear, as well. He made his film debut in 2000 with a role in the Jim Carrey film Me, Myself & Irene, in 2000. 

Today, Allen Jr. appears to be retired, as his last studio album (The Singing Cowboys, a collaborative record with his father) was released in 1995. But his legacy in country music won’t soon be forgotten.

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)

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