Lexi Allen
Alexis Marie Nucklos-Allen (born October 2, 1967),[1] better known by her stage name Lexi Allen, is an American gospel singer, producer, actress, comedian, television personality, and screenwriter.
Lexi Allen | |||||||
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Birth name | Alexis Marie Nucklos | ||||||
Also known as | Lexi | ||||||
Born | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | October 2, 1967||||||
Genres | Gospel · R&B | ||||||
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, producer, actress, comedian, television personality, screenwriter | ||||||
Instruments | Vocals | ||||||
Years active | 1989–present | ||||||
Labels | Malaco Music Group | ||||||
YouTube information | |||||||
Channel | |||||||
Years active | 2009–present | ||||||
Genre | Comedy, parody | ||||||
Subscribers | 328,000 | ||||||
Total views | 42,812,178 | ||||||
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Updated May 25, 2020 | |||||||
Early life
Alexis Marie Nucklos was born in Columbus, Ohio, where she grew up singing in her grandfather's church.[2] Nucklos is daughter of physician Dr. Ruby Nucklos. She attended and graduated from Bowsher High School in Toledo. Nucklos later attended Bowling Green State University, where she majored in communications.[3] During her freshman year in college, she was awarded the Ms. Bronze Pageant.[4] In 1989, she became a member of Zeta Phi Beta.[5]
Career
For a time she sang background vocals for, among others, Gerald LeVert, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Fred Hammond.[6][7] After the release of her debut album Call Her Lexi (1990)[2][8][9] she stepped away from music, instead studying and working as a teacher, before renewing her singing career a decade later.[3][10] Nucklos also married a music producer Michael Allen, who helped managed her musical career. During their marriage, Allen captured the attention of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield, who had set up the record label Real Deal Records.[11] While signed onto Holyfield's label, Lexi released Lexi & That's the Way It Is (2002), A Praise in the Valley (2004) and What Heaven Hears (2005).
The 2004 album earned her a Stellar Gospel Music Award nomination.[7][12] In 2006, Allen became the public face of The Word Network, where she presents the regular program "The Word Network Church with Lexi".[13] She also hosted The Lexi Show, aired by The Word Network, on which she has interviewed such guests as B.Slade (then known as Tonex), Carlton Pearson, Shirley Caesar, DeWayne Woods and many others.[14][15][16]
In 2010, The Lexi Show was suspended for nearly a year,[17][18] soon after an interview in which Tonex spoke candidly about his same-sex attraction and his views on sexuality in general.[19][20] The show returned in 2011,[16][21] and later after a three-year hiatus, in 2015.[22]
Her 2012 album Phenomenal was produced after she signed with Malaco Music Group.[23][24] The singles "Burn It All Down" and "Abide" from this album hit the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs charts,[25] peaking at #20 and #14 respectively.[26]
Allen appears regularly on The Yolanda Adams Morning Show with the segment "Inside Inspiration with Lexi".[27] On her YouTube channel, she has created comedy videos dealing with subjects such as church culture, African-American culture, and parodies of well-known TV shows.[28][29][30] She also runs ALX Hair, a business selling hair extensions.[31]
Personal life
Michael Dwayne Allen, her husband, was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately succumbed to the disease on October 5, 2004.[32] Lexi has a son, Michael Alexander Osaze Allen,[33] by her late husband Michael.
Discography
- Albums
- Call Her Lexi (1990)
- Lexi & That's the Way It Is (2001)
- Somewhere Different (2002)
- A Praise in the Valley (2004)
- What Heaven Hears (2005)
- Phenomenal (2012)
- Just Listen (2018)
Filmography
Television
- The Word Network Church With Lexi (2006)
- The Lexi Show (2010-2011; 2015)
YouTube Shows
- Holy Ghost Enforcers (2012–present)
- Ghetto Bewitched (2015–present)
References
- Alexis Marie Nucklos - familytreenow.com
- J.J. Thompson. "BG singer to release album". The BG News April 13, 1990 (1990), BGSU Student Newspaper. Book 5071, pg. 3.
- "Lexi is back on the gospel scene with a new urban-edge album", Toledo Blade, January 22, 2000, pg. 8.
- Jared O. Wadley. "Women vie for 'Bronze'. The BG News April 16, 1986 (1986). BGSU Student Newspaper. Book 4517, pg. 5.
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Psi Epsilon Chapter at Bowling Green State University, Chapter Lineage, psiepsilonzetas.wixsite.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- "Lexi: ...And That's The Way It Is." Billboard Magazine: The International NewsWeekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment, Vol. 112, No. 21 (May 20, 2000), pg. 47.
- Lexi: Malaco - Gospel Archived 2016-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Da Gospel Truth | Lexi
- Call Her Lexi, AllMusic.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Inspired, energized, singer start on the comeback trail, chronicle.augusta.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield founds label - MTV
- Malaco Records to Release Phenomenal, the New Album from Acclaimed Artist & Beloved Talk Show Host Lexi, BusinessWire.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- "About | The Word Network". Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- The Lexi Show Videos, wapistan.co.in; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Profile, dagospeltruth.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- The Word Network Announces The Return Of “The Lexi Show”, thelightnc.hellobeautiful.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- The Word Network will no longer air The Lexi Show, thegospelblog.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- The Word Network's "The Lexi Show" Comes To An End, higherrockmusic.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Lexi Out of Word Network: Did She Go To Far With Tonex Interview?, thelightnc.hellobeautiful.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Lexi Out of Word Network Because of Controversial Tonex Interview?, EURweb.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- The Lexi Show Returns to The Word Network | GospelPundit.com
- The Word Network Brings Back “The Lexi Show”, PathMEGAzine.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Malaco Music Group Announces the Signing of Alexis Allen Professionally Known as Lexi | uGospel.com
- Malaco Records Announces Lexi Allen's Upcoming Album, "Phenomenal" | uGospel.com
- New Single from Lexi - "Abide" | I Choose Gospel
- Lexi - Chart history, Billboard.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Inside Inspiration with Lexi, The Yolanda Adams Morning Show via archive.org; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Pure Parody: Lexi Takes On Mary Mary Archived 2016-04-16 at the Wayback Machine, alwaysalist.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- lexitelevision, YouTube.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Mother Walker's Sanctified Straight Talk is Hilarious, shine.forharriet.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- ALX Hair website, alxhair.com; accessed March 22, 2018.
- Michael Allen | Biography. All Music Guide. Retrieved on February 17, 2019
- Lexi Update and CD Photo Shoot, GospelFlava.com; accessed March 22, 2018.