Information/Write-up
Allen Christie is an Alberta cowboy balladeer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose music is deeply rooted in ranch life, rodeo culture, and the Western heritage of central Alberta. Raised in the Caroline–Innisfail–Rocky Mountain House region, Christie grew up immersed in a family where horses, cattle, and rodeo were not romantic ideas but daily realities.
His family history is steeped in Western tradition. His grandfather rodeoed in the 1940s and 1950s and won the Calgary Stampede in 1955. His older brother Bruce Christie qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in calf roping. His late brother Kevin was a respected horse trainer, and his sister Jody Laitre became a saddle maker. While the rest of the family followed the arena and ranch, Allen followed the sound.
Christie picked up a guitar at the age of six, inspired by banjo licks he heard on television, and quickly developed into a natural multi-instrumentalist. Guitar became his primary voice, but he also developed strong command of banjo and other stringed instruments. Over time, he evolved from a young musician playing bar gigs six nights a week into a songwriter focused almost entirely on original material.
His breakthrough among working cowboys came with the song ‘The Old Bronc Saddle,’ a witty and technically accurate tribute to bronc riding gear. The song references legendary rodeo figure Harvey Northcott and Calgary Stampede stock, and cowboys embraced it because it “got the details right.” Christie once described the bronc saddle as a “rawhide lazy boy,” capturing both humour and authenticity in a single line.
Christie’s songwriting consistently reflects lived Western experience rather than commercial Nashville formulas. His music moves comfortably between traditional cowboy song, western swing, Alberta roots country, and touches of blues and rock, while maintaining a distinctly prairie identity. He has often stated that Canada lacks a clearly defined “Western” genre label in the way Texas or parts of the United States do, yet the culture — and the music — undeniably exists.
By 2000, Christie had begun documenting his work through recorded releases. His albums include:
The Last Rodeo (2000)
Allen Christie (2005)
Banjos, Broncs and Buckaroos (2010)
The Brand (2013)
The Brand in particular demonstrated his growth as a writer and arranger, blending Western swing rhythms with traditional cowboy themes and contemporary roots textures. Songs such as ‘Tell Her Every Day’ reflect both personal storytelling and prairie romanticism.
Beyond his own recordings, Christie has played a significant role in preserving modern cowboy music by producing and assisting other rodeo artists. He produced Mel Brown’s album 1977 — a record that circulates widely in rodeo circles — and has worked on projects for world champion saddle bronc rider Mel Hyland. His recording work reflects a belief that cowboy songs should be documented for posterity rather than left to fade with campfire memory.
In 2019, Christie was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Alberta Men & Women of Country Music, acknowledging both his songwriting and his contribution to Alberta’s Western music community.
Christie made music his full-time profession in the late 1990s after years of balancing performance with other work. Since then, he has toured extensively across Western Canada and into the United States, performing in Alberta roots venues, cowboy gatherings, and traditional saloons such as the Early Stage Saloon in Stony Plain, a venue he has cited as creatively inspiring.
At the core of Allen Christie’s work is a refusal to separate cowboy identity from artistic integrity. He has expressed little interest in chasing commercial momentum, instead focusing on authenticity, original writing, and the preservation of Western songcraft. His music speaks not to trends, but to cattle country, saddle leather, and the long Alberta highways between performances.
-Robert Williston
Production
Produced by Allen Christie
Recorded at Alhambra, Alberta
Hilldust Productions
Additional mastering at Trew Sound Studios, Toronto
Songwriting
All songs written by Allen Christie
except “I Don’t Wanna Be a Star” by Ivan Daines
and “Lone Prairie” author unknown
Dedication
Dedicated to the memory of my little brother, Kevin Christie.
Contact
For more information contact:
Marlene D’Aoust
Free Expression
403-455-3175
mdaoust@shaw.ca
www.allenchristie.net
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