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Allen Tolbert Unit Bluegrass Band from Birmingham, AL

Will travel up to 500 miles

  • Avg 5.0 | 61 Reviews
  • 81 Verified Bookings
  • Member Since 2010
  • 10 Awards & Badges
  • Virtual Services Offered

About Vendor 

Learn more about this vendor for your event.

With decades of professional experience, The Allen Tolbert Unit is an acoustic band with influences ranging from the Bluegrass sounds of Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury and Bill Monroe to the Jazz sounds of John Coltrane, David Grisman and Miles Davis to the newer sounds of The Avett Brothers, Nickel Creek, Old Crow Medicine Show and The Punch Brothers. Having opened for acts such as The John Cowan Band, Dread Clampitt, Mike Marshall and Edgar Meyer, The Allen Tolbert Unit is known for its rich musical heritage. The band features guitar, banjo, mandolin and bass. Allen Tolbert has toured professionally in the southeast for over 20 years. A veteran of Birmingham-based Glenn Tolbert & Company for 17 years, Allen has made hundreds of appearances ranging from festivals, weddings, churches and private parties to radio and television appearances. He appeared as a featured guest on a special youth edition of the nationally-syndicated radio broadcast of the Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour, as well as performing numerous times on the Country Boy Eddie Show on WBRC TV in Birmingham with many guests including Hank Williams III. His festival appearances include Horse Pens 40, opening for such acts as Ricky Skaggs, The Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan, Jerry Douglas, Blue Highway and The Whites. Allen also performed at the Foggy Hollow Bluegrass Gatherin' nearly 20 different times, opening for acts such as Alison Krauss and Union Station, The Tony Rice Unit, J.D. Crowe and the New South, IIIrd Tyme Out, the Osborne Brothers and Claire Lynch. His debut solo CD is scheduled to be released soon. Allen also teaches guitar and mandolin in the greater Birmingham metropolitan area, as well as throughout the world via Skype and FaceTime. Steve Smith is an accomplished mandolin player with a distinctive, original style. Showcasing a masterful sense of rhythm and tasteful solos, Steve brings a rigid drive to the band that is unmatched. A renowned singer, Steve also provides harmony vocals for The Allen Tolbert Unit. He has over a decade of professional experience in the performing arts. Jim Hollon is an innovative bass player with an impeccable sense of timing. By contributing songs and blazing creativity to the band, Jim has helped shape the unique sound of The Allen Tolbert Unit. His influences include Edgar Meyer, Phil Keaggy, Eric Clapton and Sam Bush, leading to a diverse pedigree that is an important asset to the band. Jim is a master entertainer. Darrell has been playing electric bass since the 60's with influences such as The Beatles, The Yardbirds, Poco, and the Allman Brothers. In the 70's he travelled the USA with RCA country recording artist Gary Stewart. Bringing his rock and roll and country chops along with him, he played countless honky-tonks from Florida to Texas to California to New York City. In 2011 he moved to Alabama where he met Glenn Tolbert who convinced him to play upright bass and he hasn't looked back since.

Reviews 

Check out these verified reviews from bookings on The Bash.

Avg 5.0 | 61 Reviews

See all 61 Reviews

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Review by Plum O.

Community EventReviewed on December 11, 2023From Jasper, AL

Allen Tolbert Unit was absolutely wonderful! They were on time, very accommodating to requests and a very talented group. We would highly recommend them to anyone’s gig. Very pleased!!!

Review by Rose C.

Church ServiceReviewed on September 25, 2023From Shorter, AL

The sweetest group and perfect for our church homecoming celebration!! They sounded wonderful and are so very talented!

Review by Pamela A.

Birthday Party (Adult)Reviewed on August 7, 2023From Henagar, AL

Excellent band! A fantastic addition to my brother’s 60th birthday celebration!!! Allen and his band were so nice and fun! We all felt like we had known them forever! They had everyone dancing and singing along. From my 80 year old Mom to my 4yr old baby cousin! They were an excellent addition to our family party,, and we look forward to hiring them again! 10++++ rating from us! Can’t say enough great things about his group!

Allen Tolbert Unit:

It’s was a joy to play for your brothers party!!!! It felt like we were with family!!!!! Can’t wait to play for you again!!!! Thanks again for choosing ATU!

Awards & Badges 

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Song List 

Get a feel for the songs performed by this vendor. Contact them directly for special requests.

  • Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone | Jimmy Martin
  • All Blues | Miles Davis
  • All Good Times Are Past and Gone | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Big Country | Jimmy Martin
  • Big River | Johnny Cash
  • Big Spike Hammer | The Osborne Brothers
  • Blue Moon of Kentucky | Bill Monroe, Elvis
  • Blue Night | Bill Monroe
  • Blue Railroad Train | The Delmore Brothers
  • Blue Ridge Cabin Home | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Bringing in the Georgia Mail | Charlie Monroe
  • Caravan | Duke Ellington
  • Chim Chim Cheree | Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke
  • Cold on the Shoulder | Gordon Lightfoot
  • Crazy Train | Ronnie Bowman
  • Crying Holy unto the Lord | Osborne Brothers
  • Darling Corey | Monroe Brothers
  • Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler | Jimmy Martin
  • Don't You Ever | Big Smith
  • Driving Nails in My Coffin | Ernest Tubb, Rhonda Vincent
  • E. M. D. | David Grisman
  • Folsom River Blues | Johnny Cash
  • Fox on the Run | The Country Gentlemen
  • Freeborn Man | Jimmy Martin
  • Galveston Flood | The Country Gentlemen
  • Girl From the North Country | Bob Dylan
  • Gold Rush | Bill Monroe
  • Head Over Heels | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Hit Parade of Love | Jimmy Martin
  • House of the Rising Sun | The Animals
  • How Mountain Girls Can Love | Dr. Ralph Stanley
  • I Ain't Broke (But I'm Badly Bent) | David Grisman
  • I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow | The Stanley Brothers
  • I Am A Pilgrim | Merle Travis
  • I Know You Rider | The Grateful Dead
  • I'll Fly Away | Albert Brumley
  • I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome | Bill Monroe and Hank Williams Sr.
  • I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky | Bill Monroe
  • Is This Love | Bob Marley
  • Jerusalem Ridge | Bill Monroe
  • John Hardy | Traditional
  • Katy Daley | Dr. Ralph Stanley
  • Little Georgia Rose | Bill Monroe
  • Little Maggie | The Stanley Bothers
  • Little Sadie | Traditional
  • Long Gone | Reno & Smiley
  • Love Please Come Home | Reno & Smiley; Old and In the Way
  • Manzanita | Tony Rice
  • Me and My Guitar | James Taylor
  • Midnight Rider | The Allman Brothers
  • Milk Cow Blues | Kokomo Arnold/Robert Johnson
  • Molly and Tenbrooks | Bill Monroe
  • Mr. P. C. | John Coltrane
  • Muleskinner Blues | Jimmie Rodgers/Bill Monroe
  • My Favorite Things | Rodgers and Hammerstein
  • Nature Boy | eden ahbez; Nat King Cole
  • Nine Pound Hammer | Merle Travis
  • No Mother or Dad | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Old Joe Clark | Traditional
  • On and On | Bill Monroe
  • One Way Track | Boone Creek
  • Poor Richard's Blues | Sam Bush
  • Red Haired Boy | Traditional
  • Rocky Top | The Osborne Brothers
  • Sally Goodin' | Traditional
  • Salt Creek | Bill Monroe
  • Shady Grove | Traditional
  • Somehow Tonight | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Summertime | George Gershwin
  • Swing That Hammer | Lonesome River Band
  • The Last Thing On My Mind | Tom Paxton
  • The Old Home Place | The Dillards; J.D. Crowe and the New South
  • Today I Started Loving You Again | Merle Haggard
  • Wagon Wheel | Old Crow Medicine Show
  • Wayfaring Stranger | Traditional
  • White Freightliner | Townes Van Zant
  • Wild Bill Jones | Traditional
  • Will the Circle Be Unbroken | The Carter Family
  • Will You Be Lonesome Too? | Flatt and Scruggs
  • Your Love is Like a Flower | Flatt and Scruggs

Booked Events 

: The Bash Verified Bookings

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events

Past Events

November 25, 2023 • Community Event
Sat5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Jasper, AL
November 11, 2023 • Community Event
Sat11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Huntsville, AL
October 6, 2023 • Memorial Service
Fri3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eufaula, AL
September 24, 2023 • Church Service
Sun10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Shorter, AL
August 6, 2023 • Birthday Party (Adult)
Sun7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Henagar, AL
July 8, 2023 • Wedding Reception
Sat6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Murfreesboro, TN
July 1, 2023 • Celebration
Sat7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Trussville, AL
December 10, 2022 • Celebration
Sat4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Loxley, AL
October 29, 2022 • Festival
Sat5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Hartselle, AL
October 15, 2022 • Festival
Sat2:00 PM - 4:30 PM Madison, AL
September 18, 2022 • Community Event
Sun4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Danville, AL
August 20, 2022 • Birthday Party (Adult)
Sat2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Dallas, GA

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