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Harley Allen RIP

04/01/2011
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(Gibson) Songwriting great Harley Allen, who wrote hits for Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson and John Michael Montgomery, among many others, died of cancer Wednesday morning in Nashville, The Tennessean has reported.

Allen, who was 55, was the son of bluegrass great "Red" Allen. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, Allen settled in Nashville in 1990 and immediately gained notice as a charismatic force.

He wrote and recorded his own material, but his primary impact was as a composer of songs made famous by others. Among his best-known songs were "High Sierra," which was recorded by the trio of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; "The Baby," a Top 10 hit for Shelton; and "The Little Girl," a #1 hit for Montgomery that also received three Academy of Country Music nominations. more on this story

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