Trumpeter Winslow Filmore Allen was born in Fort Robinson NE on 27 May 1898, the second son of David and Leona Allen.  His older brother was Lloyd Allen.  At the 1900 and 1910 Census they lived in Douglas NE; by 1910 a further brother, Raymond, had joined the family.  However by 1911 the parents had separated and Leona and the boys were living in Stockton; Lloyd and Winslow soon got into trouble with the law and on 4 December 1911 they were placed in a school for juvenile offenders in Whittier CA; the nature of their offence is not specified nor is it clear when they were released.  When Winslow registered for the draft in 1918 he was (temporarily) in Minneapolis; his occupation was given as Musician and his employer was John A. Dickinson (presumably a bandleader).  I have not located him in the 1920 Census and he next appears in 1923 when Billboard 15 December 1923 p. 107 reported that: ‘Wm. Moore’s Town Talk Band provided the music for the Twin City Bazaar, held at the St. Paul Auditorium in the Minnesota city December 10 and 11.  At the close of the bazaar the group goes on a two weeks’ tour of the adjacent territory.  The band includes William Wise, Jack Austin, Herbert Patterson, Gov. Cook, Winslow Allen, Todd Williams, “Red” Bunk, Peter Robinson, Theodore Burkes, Robert Singer, Earl Casson, Geo. Lee, William Carter, Fred Baker, Ernest Parker and Thomas Roulette, who is the assistant director.’  He was still in Minneapolis in 1924 when the International Musician for January reported his suspension from Local No. 73.  By 1926 he was in Oakland, recorded (as Musician) in both the City Directory and the Voter Registration list, which also have him there in 1928 .  On 30 December 1926 he married Bennie Lucille Wright.  In the 1930 Census he and Bennie were living in Los Angeles; Winslow was described as ‘Musician. Orchestra.’  (1) We find him broadcasting on KECA as Winslow Allen’s Six Clouds of Joy (Los Angeles Times 4 April 1930) and as Winslow Allen’s Orchestra (Pasadena Post 2 June 1930 and regularly until 14 July 1930).  The following year saw him on KYA with what was to become his usual designation as Allen’s Hot Chocolates (Chico Record 6 July 1931).  He had by then or soon after returned to the Bay Area since all the appearances I have found up to July 1933 are in the region.  We get some information on the composition of his band from a report in the San Francisco Spokesman 16 February 1933:  ‘Early Sunday morning some sneak thief broke the glass of Wesley People’s car and stole several instruments belonging to members of Allen's Hot Chocolates.  Among the loot reported were saxophones of Elmer Claiborne and Peoples and Al Levy’s banjo.    Naturally the boys were somewhat demoralized, but they carried on - made three shows at the Golden State’s Dimond Theatre Sunday and the same night played for the opening of a new dance hall on Fillmore Street.’  On 20 July 1933 the same paper said that ‘Four members of the “Hot Chocolates” left for Reno Monday for an indefinite engagement.  Those who left are W. Allen, E. Liggens, M. Levy and E. Claiborne,’ and on September 7 that they would soon return from Reno.
The International Musician February 1934 has a list of fourteen new members of Local 767 (Los Angeles) including Winslow Allen and in August 1935 Local 104 (Salt Lake City, Utah) registers a group of travelling members which includes eight of the previous fourteen.  This look like a band which had formed in Los Angeles and then moved on to Salt Lake City.
Winslow married Lorraine Martin on 26 December 1934 and the two of them are listed as resident in Oakland in the Voter Registration of 1936.  The California Eagle of 8 May 1936 reported that ‘Winslow (trumpeter) Allen is now with Buck Clayton’s band.’  I have not found him in the 1940 Census but he was resident in Los Angeles in 1941-2.  The California Eagle 21 January 1941 says that ‘Winslow (trumpet) Allen and his popular swing band are doing some fine business these nights for the Boogie Woogie Cafe out Hollywood way.  Allen is a hot trumpet player as well as a fine musician.  Swinging with him are such players as Wilton (sax) Johnson, Minor “Ram” (drums) Hall and Buster Wisson on the ivories’ and on 12 March 1942 mentions that they are still ‘at the famous Boogie Woogie club out Western avenue way.’  When he registered for the draft on14 February 1942 his employer was the Boogie Woogie Club.  Ads in March 1946 show Winslow Allen and his “Five Shades of Blue” working in the 232 Club in Wilmington CA (2).  The 1950 Census shows him and Lorraine resident in Los Angeles; his occupation was given as ‘Plays a trumpet’ in a Night Club (3).  After that I have found nothing until his death on 30 June 2001.

(1) Floyd Turnham said that ‘Winslow Allen, trumpet player, he played with my mother’s band one time,’ but does not give any indication of date (Peter Vacher, Swingin’ on Central Avenue p. 82)

(2) Bassist Billy Hadnott recalled that ‘My first job was down in Wilmington, California, with a fellow by the name of Winslow “Winnow” Allen in August ’44.  He had a group down there.  I can’t think of the name of the joint.  Nellie Lutcher was the piano player; Sam Joshua was the drummer; and there was a saxophone player, Charles Waller . . . . . Winslow Allen was a well-seasoned trumpet player.  He was a lot older than me; he lived up towards Victorville (Peter Vacher, Swingin’ on Central Avenue p. 203)

(3) Andrew Blakeney recalled getting Allen to come from Los Angeles to substitute for him for a couple of nights in San Francisco in 1948. ‘Winslow had his own plane - he could fly - so he flew up to take my job’ (Peter Vacher, Swingin’ on Central Avenue p. 25).