His career in music began as a guitarist and backup singer for Wes Dakus & The Rebels.

In the early 1960s, producer Norman Petty noted his lead vocal abilities and just as he had done with having two entities for Buddy Holly & The Crickets, secured recording contracts recordings for both Wes Dakus & The Rebels, and solo releases for Barry.

In 1967, he recorded two more singles; however, sales figures were not to Capitol's liking, and he was released from this contract.

In 1970, he released a third album, this time produced by Randy Bachman and Wes Dakus via MCA Records.

Shawn Nagy's Super Oldies label reissued Allen's original material along with unreleased tracks on a two-CD set "Clovis Collection" in 2012, with a CD Release Concert reuniting Barry with Stu Mitchell, Dennis Paul & Gerry Dere of "The Rebels" in their first show together in over 20 years.