Steve Allen was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and started performing in front of audiences while still in elementary school. He subsequently lived in Memphis, toured the states with a show band from Jackson, Mississippi, relocated to Los Angeles and worked in various fairly big time show biz situations. Allen and family moved to New Orleans in 1998. He worked on Bourbon Street till the wee hours the first few years, still writing songs and stories, and thriving. He produced several projects of his own in his studio there. He received a grant from the State of Louisiana Division of the Arts to apply to the completion of his album "Bourbon Street Blues."
Katrina and the failure of the levees that protected his Lakeview home forced the unplanned detour to northern Louisiana, where her and his family would reside for the next 2 years. They returned to New Orleans in 2007.