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| | b. July 19, 1923, Hartford, CT, USA
d. Nov. 21, 2012 West Haven, CT, USA.
American vocalist. First sang professionally in high school, then most strongly influenced by his idol Bing Crosby. In 1940, David took his first big step into his professional career with the Jack Teagarden Band. Entering the army, in 1942 he served with the First Division on its African campaign. Out of the army, he sang with the Van Alexander Orchestra. By now he had given up his Bing Crosby style, and was listening with interest to Sarah Vaughan, Dick Haymes, early Al Hibbler, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra, but was developping his own style. David moved next to the early Henry Jerome band, with sidemen such as Al Cohn, Tiny Kahn, Harry Biss, Ollie Wilson, and most of all, Johnny Mandel. After the Jerome band broke up, David sang at WHN and WNEW radio and spent a short stint with the Bob Chester band, before joining Mandel in the new experimental Boyd Raeburn Band.
In 1957, David Allen eventually recorded his first LP album for World Pacific. He died November 21, 2012 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Haven, CT. |
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