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Jimmie Allen returns to the top of the country radio charts this week, this time with “Down Home” — a deeply personal musical message to his dad, James “Big Jim” Allen, who died in 2019.
“I still hate that you’re gone, I wish you were here / But I hope I’m making you proud / ‘Cause I know you’re up there looking down home,” Jimmie sings in the chorus of the song, filling its lyrics with personal details about his dad’s sense of humor, love of F-150 trucks and lifelong passion for country music.
As “Down Home” hit the top of the charts, Jimmie shared a message for his late father on social media. “Dear Dad, I knew you existed and now the world knows,” he wrote. “Thank you country radio for helping me share my father’s memory.”
The singer also thanked his co-writers for helping him create this intimate, important and — in some ways — difficult tribute to his dad. “I’m thankful to y’all for pushing me but I also thank you for writing it with me when I was emotionally ready,” Jimmie added.
In another personal touch, Jimmie included the number 15 in his post, and in the lyrics of “Down Home.” That number is special because it’s the number his dad wore when he played baseball, the singer explained to Billboard earlier this year.
“It’s kind of like the Allen family number. I wear it, my son wears it, my brother wore it all through high school and college when he played baseball. It’s the family number because of my dad,” he revealed.
“Down Home” is Jimmie’s fourth chart-topping country radio hit.
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