Love of a good story, family, and guitar pickin’ started Allan Peterson down a path that led him to share the stage with many famous country music performers.
As a young boy, his mother and aunt took him to an Elvis concert. From that moment, he was hooked and began teaching himself to play guitar on his dad’s old, red Airline. He credits Elvis, along with George Strait, George Jones, Alan Jackson, Alabama, Vern Godsin, Gary Stewart and of course his parents, as major influences on his love of music.
Initially, Allan only played pieces of songs and rock power chords, so his dad challenged him: “If you learn to play and sing a country song all the way through, I’ll buy you that guitar you’ve been wanting.”
Soon, Allan was busting out, “My Home’s in Alabama” by his then-favorite band, Alabama. His dad was a blue-collar worker. Fulfilling his promise took overtime hours and sacrifice, but he was a man of his word. He also sensed an emerging talent in his son and had faith in what was to come.
Allan auditioned at The Texas Opry Theater in Weatherford in his early twenties, making the cut and playing before live audiences on several occasions. Following that early success, he formed a band with his brother, Scot Peterson, called Fire Mountain, a name selected by his mother—and who’s telling their mom no?
As his love of music grew, and especially his passion for lyrics, the band started playing at local honky-tonks, clubs, VFW halls, and anywhere they could before moving into music festivals and major events, including the Texas State Fair. Fire Mountain opened for Gary Stewart, Bryan White, Perfect Stranger, Toby Keith, Woody Lee, Lari White, Gene Watson, Doug Supernaw, Eric Heatherly, and more. Eventually, the band headlined the same festivals they’d once opened for other artists and continued to expand their following, staying together for over a decade.
After the death of his father/manager, the band separated, and Allan left to pursue his music dreams in Nashville. While he made great memories and met many of his country music heroes, the timing felt off. Homesick and financially strapped, he contemplated returning to Texas. The deciding factor came he was robbed by a clown—yes, that really happened.
When Allan returned, he pulled the band back together for a while but disbanded following 9/11 and the cancellation of many festivals and major events. After a few years of not playing, his wife encouraged him to enter a singer/songwriter competition. He took second place and a chance to play his original songs live on the radio. Once again, he started getting gigs and played steady for the next couple of years, hosting songwriter rounds, open mic nights, and solo gigs at venues around north Texas.
Allan eventually found himself spread too thin and decided to spend less time performing and more time with his children, taking care of life issues, and devoting himself to his family and a growing business. It was a 15-year sabbatical that reminded him of what’s important in life.
After surviving Covid in late 2022 and working to get his voice back, Allan decided to get serious with his music one last time. Since then he’s written dozens of songs, including his first gospel single “What I Need To Do” released on June 30, 2023, his deceased mother’s birthday. A song already available online and receiving radio play, capturing praise from industry influencers.
Life experience has brought depth and greater authenticity to Allan’s music. At the same time, his voice and songwriting remain evidence of the talent his father rightly recognized many years ago.