Jimmie Allen says country music is in the midst of a “movement” when it comes to diversity.

Chatting with The Nick Cannon Show, Jimmie cites Charley Pride as a major source of inspiration for his career and paving the way for other Black country artists. 

“I remember I was growing up listening to country music and my dad was like, ‘you should sing country music’ and I was like, ‘it’s cool, but I don’t know if there’s anybody that looks like us.’ And then he showed me what Charley Pride looked like,'” Jimmie recalls. 

He also points to his contemporaries including Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Blanco Brown, Breland, Brittney Spencer, Willie Jones and Tiera as important voices in the genre. 

“It’s a whole movement coming up. It’s beautiful to see where country is starting to get like every other genre where it’s not about the color of your skin, it’s about the music,” Jimmie observes. “It’s good to see that.”

The “Make Me Want To” singer is set to headline his first tour, the Down Home Tour, in 2022. His current single, “Freedom Was a Highway,” featuring Brad Paisley, is currently in the top 10 on country radio.

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