Born in Ennis, TX, the son of a crazy race car driver who listened to old school country and a sweet-voiced transplant from California who helped pay her way through college as the vocalist for a 50’s rock n’ roll outfit and did solo performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Mark Allan came by both his insanity and musical talents honestly. At 18, when that age would still get you into Texas bars legally, he began playing the singer/songwriter hangouts on Lower Greenville Ave. in Dallas, learning from the amazing original artists of that place in time and enjoying a host of legendary venues. By the mid-80’s he was fronting his own rock bands that played from Dallas, TX to Aspen, CO and everywhere in between, performing many of his own compositions while finding steady work as a rhythm guitarist/background vocalist for several hard working country bands. He rediscovered his love of old school country and enjoyed playing his 70’s outlaw country favorites during this period. The Texas metal scene of the late 80’s became the perfect invitation to party the night away while wailing through anthemic rock in front of energetic Dallas/Fort Worth crowds who were supporting one of the best rosters of talent in the U.S., second only perhaps to L.A.. By 1988, Mark Allan was fronting the first of two bands that he would tour with for the next several years, Wild Child and Wasteland, gaining statewide and regional acclaim. As tour support for King’s X, Dokken, Slaughter, Tesla, Great White, Vince Neil and one of his personal heroes Zakk Wylde on two different tours, and garnering airplay in Europe, Russia and stateside with the original composition “Stand” (Atwood/McCarthy - Big Noise Records) and a widely distributed cover of Krokus' legendary “Screaming In The Night” (Storace/Von Arb - Steve Records), his bands played shows in front of thousands of hard rock fans until 1996 when the demands of a family and a changing music scene led to a nine-year absence from performing. In 2005, at the urging of a couple of old friends and with his desire to write rekindled, he began penning tunes that were reminiscent of his early, folk rock work, but were edgier and more true to his Tejas roots like his favorite Willie/Waylon/Kristofferson tunes from his teen years. Soon after coming back to the stage in early 2006, after opening for Texas music favorites Cooder Graw his eyes opened to a genre and a crowd that was as exciting as the 80’s metal scene had been. He’s been performing on average at least once a week ever since. His new album, titled after the country-rock inspired track “How Country,” is out now (released Dec. 2009) and is Mark Allan’s first ever full-length release of his own material, despite appearances on numerous compilation albums and well-circulated EP’s from his days with Wasteland. With a 12 oz. longneck dose of the party-inspired y’allternative sound that his audience has come to expect and enjoy, “How Country” will delight fans already familiar with his work and catch the ears of folks who enjoy crossing boundaries and genres.