Allen Shamblin

After graduating from Sam Houston State University he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a songwriter. He supported himself by parking cars and working in a warehouse. During live shows he tells stories about his parents sending him money so he could survive. In 1990, Randy Travis took a song Shamblin wrote, about his great-grandfather,{{Cite web |url=http://www.rama-info.com/home/producers/16/bio5_text.html |title="ROWFAX Column # 18 (March, 2013): The Producer's Chair: Allen Shamblin" by James Rea |access-date=2014-04-22 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140422215257/http://www.rama-info.com/home/producers/16/bio5_text.html |archive-date=2014-04-22 |url-status=usurped }} to number one on the country charts. After "He Walked on Water", he followed it up with four more number one songs including: "We Were in Love," "In This Life" and "Walk on Faith."{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-shamblin-mn0000007496|title=Allen Shamblin Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website=AllMusic}} He often co-writes with other songwriters. He co-wrote with Steve Seskin for number one hits with "Life's a Dance" and "Don't Laugh at Me." Don't Laugh at Me was a hit for Mark Wills and was later recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary resulting in a school program designed to teach children tolerance and prevent bullying in the playground. His biggest song, "I Can't Make You Love Me," was co-written with Mike Reid and was a hit for Bonnie Raitt. His song "The House that Built Me", co-written with Tom Douglas, was recorded by Miranda Lambert and she won the Best Female Country Vocal Performance Grammy for the recording.{{cite web| url = http://www.jewishjournal.com/zoangel/item/musical_interlude_allan_shamblin_on_the_house_that_built_me_20120424| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120428044324/http://www.jewishjournal.com/zoangel/item/musical_interlude_allan_shamblin_on_the_house_that_built_me_20120424| archive-date = 2012-04-28| title = Songwriter Allen Shamblin on "The House that Built Me" {{!}} ZOAngel {{!}} Jewish Journal}}

Shamblin was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Hall of Fame on March 1, 2009, at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1607822/ascap-celebrates-guy-clark-and-allen-shamblin-for-texas-songwriter-honors.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329151303/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1607822/ascap-celebrates-guy-clark-and-allen-shamblin-for-texas-songwriter-honors.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2009|title = ASCAP Celebrates Guy Clark and Allen Shamblin for Texas Songwriter Honors}} In 2011 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=http://nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com.s164288.gridserver.com/Site/inductee?entry_id=2819|title = Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame}}

• "Don't Laugh at Me" (Mark Wills)
• "He Walked on Water" (Randy Travis)
• "Thinkin' Problem" (David Ball)
• "I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Raitt)
• "Why" (Rascal Flatts)
• "The House That Built Me" (Miranda Lambert)
• "Where the Blacktop Ends" (Keith Urban)
• "Life's a Dance" (John Michael Montgomery)
• "In This Life", "Man of My Word" (Collin Raye)
• "What I'm For" (Pat Green)
• "How They Remember You" (Rascal Flatts)
• "Threads Of Gold" (The Marcy Brothers)
• "We Were in Love" (Toby Keith)
• "Poison" (George Strait)
• "Gravy" (Tim McGraw)
• "My Heart's Not a Hotel" (Brooks & Dunn)

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.allenshamblin.com/}}

{{CMA for Song of the Year}}

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Category:American country songwriters

Category:American male songwriters

Category:Living people

Category:Sam Houston State University alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)