Country Singer Jay Allen Reveals Frightening Robbery Experience At Nashville Grocery Store
“I felt helpless, taken advantage of, and mad at myself more than anything,” Allen admitted.
Jay Allen; Photo Provided
The Voice alum Jay Allen revealed he is now a “proud gun owner” after a recent encounter that left him shaken up.
Over the weekend, the country singer took to Instagram and candidly shared that he had gotten held up in a grocery store in East Nashville. While Allen left the scary incident unharmed physically, he explained that it certainly left a lasting impact, resulting in his decision to prioritize his methods of self-defense should he ever find himself in such a situation again.
“Serious talk… I got held up at a grocery store in East Nashville a few days ago. I’m ok(besides being out a few bucks), but it was the feeling that I couldn’t get over,” he admitted in the post. “Even with having a muscular stature and being covered in tattoos, it didn’t matter… he had a gun, and I didn’t. I felt helpless, taken advantage of, and mad at myself more than anything.”
Allen went on to say that while he has been hesitant about owning firearms in the past, he has had a shift in perspective.
He continued, “I’ve always been on the fence about guns, but today I’m a proud new gun owner. It’s strictly for self-defense, and I will NEVER feel that way again. Thank you to my best bud(who is also a Veteran) for taking the time to train me, so I can now safely protect myself.”
The post included photos of Allen’s newly purchased means of protection as well as a short clip of him taking part in target practice at a shooting range.
Allen Reaches Sobriety Milestone
This update came just a few days after the “Love You Like You’re Gone” singer celebrated being five months sober and noted that he was sharing the milestone in order to continue holding himself accountable.
The post featured a black image that had the words “5 months sober” typed out.
Back on July 23, Allen shared with his followers that he was just two months into this journey of eliminating his use of alcohol and Adderall and was feeling incredibly proud.
His caption at the time read, “I woke up this morning and looked at my calendar to see this… 60 days free from alcohol and abusing adderall. It seems so small, but to me, it’s my biggest accomplishment yet. #sober”
Teases New Music In The Works
Allen opened up about his struggle with turning to alcohol as a way to deal with the grief following the loss of his mother in the song titled “Whiskey In The World.” This tune was released over the summer on 10-song project named “Des Moines,” in honor of his home state of Iowa. In addition to paying tribute to the place he was raised, this collection aims to honor his late mother who lost her fight to Alzheimer’s in 2019.
On October 11, Allen released his first new song since the project, “Love You Like You’re Grown.” Another recent social media post revealed that he has finished tracking vocals on a yet-to-be-released new song that he hinted was inspired by his favorite color, which many users guessed is black.
As he continues to work on his upcoming new music, Jay Allen is scheduled to take the stage for a few more shows across Arizona, Texas, South Carolina and Virginia before the year comes to an end. He will pick things back up in January with performances already on the books through October 2025.
Written by
Madeleine O’Connell
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.