Cole Allen at Forager Brewing Company

Cole Allen, critically acclaimed solo artist and guitarist for the Sena Ehrhardt Band, is without a doubt one of the most exciting up-and-coming singer/guitarist/songwriters of contemporary blues and rock music.

Allen was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN in a home where music was always playing. He explains, “That’s certainly why I love so many different styles of music. My dad was always playing ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimi Hendrix whereas my mom would listen to Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder.” Cole’s father Mark, an accomplished guitarist in his own right, would let Cole tag along to his gigs at an early age. At age 13, Allen received a guitar for his birthday and started a band of his own only a year later. In the decade that followed, the Cole Allen Band toured extensively throughout the Midwest and notably opened for Bret Michaels, LA Guns, Bobby Rush, Corey Stevens, and John Mayall.

Cole Allen’s songwriting, described by many as mature well beyond his years, and masterful guitar playing was showcased on his debut 2012 EP “Headed For Hollywood.” The blues rock scene took notice. “Cole embodies the definition of a unique talent with the major ‘It’ factor that can’t be bought, taught or obtained in any manner other than simply being born with a musical gift that touches his fans deep in their hearts and souls.” (Legendary Rock Interviews)

Following the rave reviews of his EP, Allen released a full length self-titled album of originals in 2013, pushing him further on to the National blues rock scene. Immediately following the release, Allen debuted music videos for the rocker “Let Me Know” and love song “You Can Have My Heart” revealing his expansive songwriting talent and model good looks. Blues Rock Review magazine selected a cut (I’m Gone) from this album for their Best of 2013 album sampler stating that he is “Sure to deliver what any blues rock fan yearns for!”

That same year he was asked to join award-winning Blind Pig Records recording artist Sena Ehrhardt’s band as the lead guitarist. Cole and Sena’s explosive chemistry in both live performances and songwriting led to the release of Sena’s “Live My Life” in 2014 produced by Grammy-winner David Z. For the album, Cole wrote or co-wrote five songs including the title track and an updated version of the duet “Too Late to Ask” from Cole’s self-titled album. Critics applauded Allen calling him, “an incendiary guitarist and songwriter whose harder edges tip the blues-rock quotient in the latter direction.” (Rick Mason – Minneapolis City Pages) In his tenure as lead guitarist, the Sena Ehrhardt Band has been invited to open for B.B. King, ZZ Top, Dickey Betts, Robert Cray, Gregg Allman, REO Speedwagon, and toured with Johnny Winter during some of his final performances. The Fall of 2014 marked their first major international tour of Europe playing to mainly sold-out crowds, and was followed by even larger European tours in 2015 and 2016 encompassing six countries. In the last year, the Cole Allen Band has been the support band for numerous National acts including the Charlie Daniels Band during a two-night residency at the world famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as well as performances at note-worthy outdoor music festivals throughout the Midwest. 2018 promises the release of a solo acoustic EP as well as a full-length Cole Allen Band album of all new originals.