An important and influential figure in gospel music, Rance Allen was a vocalist and Pastor who became a groundbreaker in the 1960s and '70s as the leader of the Rance Allen Group, a trio who combined traditional gospel with rock, soul, R&B, and jazz influences. Allen is often cited among the first artists to fuse spiritual music with contemporary sounds, moving gospel music in a bold, updated direction that appealed to a new audience. Allen's most celebrated recordings are the early albums the Rance Allen Group recorded for Gospel Truth Records (a label affiliated with Stax), particularly 1972's The Rance Allen Group and 1975's A Soulful Experience, while late-career efforts like 2014's Celebrate show that his talent and conviction were not dulled by time.