Biography

Country music radio personality, publishing and recording executive, and songwriter. Born October 3, 1924. Died August 2, 2002. Full name Joe Marion Allison. Career active from the late 1930s through the mid-1970s. Produced Country America for ABC-TV in the late 1950s. Producer for Liberty Records, Paramount, and Capitol Records in the 1960s and 1970s. As a songwriter, his credits include “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young” (recorded by Faron Young, 1955), and “He’ll Have to Go” (recorded by Jim Reeves, 1960). Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Interview Summary

1994 May 26
(2 hours, 58 minutes)
Disc jockey, songwriter, and music industry executive Joe Allison describes his work in the country music industry during the 1950s. He recalls working as a country music radio disc jockey in California; producing Country America for ABC-TV; managing Central Songs publishing; working with the Central songwriters, including Ned Miller, Charlie Williams, Buck Owens, and Bobby Bare; managing Liberty records; and his work on a Carter Family album. Allison recalls the various personalities he worked with during these years, including George Jones, Willie Nelson, Jim Reeves, Lefty Frizzell, Freddie Hart, and Anita Carter.