Jimmie Allen and for KING & COUNTRY are teaming up for one unforgettable CMT Crossroads. The televised show, which will feature both Jimmie and for KING & COUNTRY singing some of both of their biggest hits together, celebrates their enduring friendship, which began long before either Jimmie or Joel and Luke Smallbone, who make up for KING & COUNTRY, had any success.
“We’ve really grown up in this music thing together, in this town together,” Joel tells CMT. “We’ve dug each other out of ditches. To have this crossroad to link arms, it’s pretty magic.”
For KING & COUNTRY have sung with plenty of other artists, including Dolly Parton, Needtobreathe, Jordin Sparks and more. But even they admit singing with Jimmie on his songs was a challenge.
“I’ve got to be honest. I was a little apprehensive because you’re singing other people’s songs, and there’s a respect thing there,” Luke acknowledges. “I’m sitting there going, ‘Man, I don’t want to screw this up.'”
Jimmie has made a name for himself as one of the country music hitmakers, and with good reason. The Delaware native, currently touring with Carrie Underwood on her The Denim & Rhinestones Tour, has had hit songs like “Down Home,” “Best Shot,” “Make Me Want To,” “Freedom Was A Highway” and more. But while he has secured his place in country music, Jimmie reveals that he is a big, big fan of Christian music as well.
“I listen to tons of Christian music, and I’ve listened to their music since before they had a record deal,” Jimmie says. “So I’ve been knowing for KING & COUNTRY songs for as long as they’ve been making songs.”
When both Jimmie and for KING & COUNTRY moved to Nashville to become artists, while their music was vastly different, their winding roads were very similar. Neither act found instant success, and both acts found the importance of tenacity and hard work, even when it seemed impossible.
“You have to show up,” Jimmie maintains. “That’s how I ended up getting discovered at Pucketts in Franklin. I called out of both my jobs and played the writers’ round. It was 11 years after being here, but it happened. Continue to show up when everyone else quits. That’s the secret.”
“There’s such power and beauty and rarity in the fact that we can sit here and say, ‘We worked. We did this for 15 years before this day. What a cool thing,'” Joel adds.
CMT Crossroads: FOR KING + COUNTRY & Jimmie Allen premieres Tuesday, February 28th at 10:00 PM CT on CMT. Encore performances will also be available. Find more information at CMT.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of CMT