Allen Stone/Nick Waterhouse

Born in Chewelah, WA, powerhouse singer Allen Stone started singing at his father’s church when he was just a kid. He wasn’t at all familiar with soul or R&B, but once he heard Stevie Wonder’s 1973 album Innnervisions, he was hooked. He moved to Spokane and then Seattle as he launched a recording career in 2010, self-releasing his first album, Last to Speak, and focusing on playing as many shows as possible. A year later, L.A.-based producer Lior Goldenberg took him on and wanted to do a record with him. When he went into the studio, he didn’t realize who the musicians were but they were members of soul/R&B singer Raphael Saadiq’s touring band. He’d license the resulting self-titled album to ATO Records, which helped it find a wide audience. He's been steadily recording and touring ever since. (Niesel)