Lee Clark Allen shares ‘seasons of life’ on new album

There’s a stereotype that some musicians have “super egos.” Patrick Clark, an English teacher at the University of Minnesota Duluth and musician who performs as Lee Clark Allen, wants to avoid that.

Though he wants to make music that could hit the top of the charts, he strives to maintain a down-to-earth persona. His recently released album, My World is Yours, is an effort to emulate “the greats,” as he calls them, while focusing on having each song strike on a message.

“I want (listeners) to see the four seasons of life,” Allen said, “in every single song they probably can find themselves in it.” He believes he has created timeless music that will speak to listeners in different stages of their lives.

The album, six years in the making, offers a window into those years of his life and the ups and downs: suicide attempts, the death of a family member, finding love, going on date nights, prayer and therapy.

Allen performed twice in November at Snively’s Lounge in Duluth and his next gig is Dec. 6 at Wussow’s Concert Cafe.

Growing as an Artist

The passions of writing and music were with Allen since he was a little boy in Arkansas. While writing was an aid and creative outlet for him as he struggled with a speech impediment, music was ubiquitous in his life. It was church music that truly captivated him.

“There’s one thing to sing in the house, but it’s one thing to sing in front of an audience. Church put us in front of audiences to sing.”

Allen rhythmically clapped his hands as he painted the scene in that Little Rock church: a young Allen looking at the organist with admiration and then to the unoccupied piano.

“I’m like, ‘oh man, I’m wishing I can just do singing and do the piano or something like that.’”

To sing and play piano like Ray Charles was his prayer. He borrowed some music theory books from his cousin and began the tedious process of teaching himself piano.

“You just don’t know how many times I slapped the keyboard away and just spent like four months without playing it or something like that.”

He persevered through the “beating and breaking down” of practice and combined his passions for writing and music by pursuing degrees in English and music composition at Westminster college in Fulton, Missouri.

After grad school, and a stint as a college professor at a New Mexico community college, Allen moved to Denver, Colorado, where he released an EP in 2019. That same year he began work on My World is Yours while trying to get by on a teacher’s salary.

While he worked on the album, life happened. The cost of living was high, and Allen went through “bouts of homelessness.” He got married, but his wife lost her job while pregnant with their first kid. Allen self-funded his musical ambitions, including his home studio, and worked side-hustle jobs to make ends meet.

“Everything was going to crumble eventually, and the summer before we moved here everything crumbled.”

The couple found teaching jobs in Duluth and have called it home since September 2024.

“I really like it. I am able to thrive in small towns, medium towns, big towns,” adding that a Best Buy, Game Stop and movie theater are all he needs, and moving to Duluth was what his family needed.

The Album Launches

Allen finished his album in Duluth and launched it in September. Many of the parts in the album — bass, piano, vocals and others — are performed by Allen himself. In his songs he lays out his vulnerabilities which he wants his listeners to see themselves in.

“I just wanted to create something timeless that was true to myself, true to what people are hearing, what people are facing, what people are experiencing and what people are needing.”

The track “Deal (Say Less)” features a voice recording from Allen’s older brother, who was killed in a hit and run. It was through writing that song that Allen came to terms with his brother’s death and struggles with mental illness and homelessness during his life.

“I listen to that song on a certain day, it’s like yikes, I finally grasp maybe some of the things my brother was wrestling with. But it’s so late now because he’s gone.”

Some of his songs bring back memories of struggle, betrayal, homelessness and suicide attempts. At various points in his life, Allen went through therapy — an experience he seeks to normalize and give focus to in the song “Therapy.”

“There’s this stigma to therapy that I was trying to shatter,” he said. “I wanted to be like one of the greats of not shying away from addressing the social issues that (plague) our time.”

Lee Allen Clark has more than 1,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. He would love that number to grow but regardless likes to think of himself as a down-to-earth person with clout.

“This, for me, is no ego because I know that if this is God’s will for my life I can’t force this to happen.”

He thinks of his students – past, present and future – and how he can model success for them if he makes it big without selling out.

“My story needs to be told because look at the amount of impact that I can get ready to have or I’ve already been having. If I just get that lucky break, tons and tons and tons of students will be just like, ‘Whoa, that was my teacher.’”

Layers of Lee

He chose the name “Lee” for its Asian feel and as an homage to actor Bruce Lee. “Clark” is his father’s last name — a man Allen described as his number one cheerleader. “Allen” is his mother’s maiden name, which he chose to honor her sacrifices as a mother of four. He also considered her, at times, his worst critic.

“Your music is not Black enough,” and “It’s not what the other Black artists are doing,” were critiques Allen attributed to his mother. But Allen’s ear is for all music, he said.

“I was made to be me and you was made to be yourself,” he said “And I think I have to be fine with that. Yes, I have the skills to make something just like John Legend, or yes, I have the skill to make something just like Daniel Caesar or Anthony Hamilton. Yes, I have those skills. But is that me?”

He described himself as having many layers and one of those layers is being a dad. He demonstrated his warmup song: “Wheels on the Bus.” He ran through the lyrics adding different spins and inflections as he sang them with a grin on his face. He has another baby due in March.

“One of my mentors back in Colorado, Rex Peoples, [told me] ‘Lee, you are wired to be a family man,’” he said. “‘You are hella amazing musician … But you’re a family guy, bro.’” Allen reflected on what that means for a musical career and making time for loved ones.

“As a musician, you’ll start learning that you have to sometimes, you can still have your musical outpouring, yet you make the decision whether you want to be a family man or not.”