Country Mike Blog

Monty's Great Big World

Mike Sudhalter  |  January 16, 2009

Monty Lane Allen may not be a household name yet, but you've heard of The Strayhorns, right? That's Alan Jackson's band of which Allen is the acoustic guitarist and harmony singer.

Brad Paisley plays lead guitar on the debut album, "Great Big World." It's like a cross between Alan Jackson and Bryan White with a touch of Christian Contemporary through the album.

Allen must have read my mind because he put a country spin on a pop song - Steve Winwood's "Back In The Highlife." After hearing the song - with a touch of twang - you almost wonder why it wasn't a country song first.

Allen also does a touching song, "Soldier Coming Home", as in that's all he wants for Christmas. It's definitely a patriotic tune that shows Allen's deep appreciation for the troops.

Being a member of The Strayhorns, you'd better believe that the South Carolina native can honky-tonk with the best of them. If you don't believe me, check out "Hang Around."