Allen Vega & the Hurricanes
Allen grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and first started playing guitar at age 15. As a teen, Allen was greatly influenced by his musically talented family, which includes his uncle, Grammy winner, Gold album recipient and West Coast Blues Hall of Fame inductee (Guitarist) David "Dynamite" Vega of Graham Central Station fame. Soon Allen developed a powerful blues guitar style, and began appearing at Bay Area jam nights. At age eighteen Allen joined his first professional band, Jack Rudy and The Blues Voodoo's playing throughout Northern California. They won the west coast "Best Unsigned Band" contest at JJ's Blues in Mountain View. Allen began making a name for himself within the local blues scene while with the Blues Voodoo's In 1987 Allen formed Smokin' Gun, a powerful blues trio. Smokin' Gun went on to win BAM (Bay Area Music) Magazine's Battle of the Bands, being chosen over 50 other bands. This win led them to opening for such a...