Sharing His Passion With Others Musician Lance Allyn

by Stephanie Struyck Elgin

He’s a Midwestern gentleman, born in Grand Island, Nebraska, and raised in the countryside of North Platte.  While the farms may not have been the most ideal start for a career in music, it certainly did not stop Lance Allyn from pursuing his passion.
After all the schoolwork and chores, there wasn’t much to do, so a young Lance turned to music.  Miles away from friends and family, he spent his earlier years poking around on the piano, picking up instruments and learning to play.  He even convinced his dad to purchase a drum set to play in his basement.
“Living out there, I had no choice but to go to the local library and research music,” states Lance.  “I would read for hours on end, be glued to the television at night just to watch Buddy Rich (one of the world’s greatest drummers) on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  I was enamored with Buddy, and meeting him back stage and having him sign my drumhead, well, that’s where it all really started.   I wanted to be a musician.” Advice the professionals gave Lance at a young age?  “Don’t let the stardom get in the way…get trained”
So training, he did. And not just in one musical instrument, but in many.  From drums, to guitars, to bass, to pianos, Lance played them all, and he played them well.
Lance spent the latter half of high school going to clinics and learning the trade. “I would travel miles, just to go to clinics and get trained by the professionals.  I was focused, and studied with some of the best in the industry, such as Ed Shaughnessy, Carmine Appice (drummer for Ozzy Osbourne, Rod Stewart and Vanilla Fudge, to name a few).”  After high school, Lance attended Mid Plains College in Nebraska as well as the University of Wisconsin music program, and eventually made his way west, to Los Angeles, California, where he graduated with honors at Musicians Institute.
Lance went on the road for a few years, traveling from city to city performing at various locations, but something was missing.  “I thought that is what I had wanted,” states Lance, “but for some reason it wasn’t fulfilling.”
The multi-talented musician packed his bags and headed to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue songwriting and studio work, but after two years, Lance made his way back to California.  “I met my wife Karen, and she was an L.A. girl, so moving back seemed right.  I looked at the situation and realized, I just wanted to be home.”
Lance and Karen relocated to the Santa Clarita Valley a little less than two decades ago, and enjoy calling our city, “home”.  Lance continues his love for music, performing at various local venues as well as events to benefit our non-profit organizations, captivating audiences all over.  He recently performed at the Michael Hoefflin Foundation’s Evening Under the Stars Gala, one of their largest fundraisers.  “We felt really honored to have Lance take part at our gala,” states Gillian Stone, Executive Director.  “Lance is highly respected in this community for his talent, and he was so generous to donate his time to help us further our cause at our premier event. It’s a great example of the spirit of community here in Santa Clarita.”
Lance can also be seen at Westfield Valencia Town Center, at The Patios just outside of J. David’s Custom Clothiers entertaining guests.
Lance also spends time passing on his passion and knowledge for music by educating other aspiring musicians.  “I get the opportunity to teach others, and that is such a joy to watch them grow musically.”  Lance continues, “I love what I do.  I love my community and I’m able to use my talent to help other organizations.  I get to play music and still have a beautiful life with my family, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Lance is sponsored by Boulder Creek Guitars and D’Addario Strings.  For more information about Lance or for upcoming performances, follow Lance Allyn’s fan page on Facebook or visit www.bouldercreekguitars.com/lance-allyn or www.daddario.com.  For more inquiries, you can reach Lance at lanceallynmusic@yahoo.com.”