Allen was a Madera High School teacher, pianist, composer and arraigner of big band music. Faye was a designer, seamstress and choreographer known for teaching majorettes how to do their routines on her front lawn. Together they became known as the ‘Harkins Music Machine’, turning out award winning bands and stunning visual performances. The 1957 Marching Band took First Place in the All-American Band Review. Throughout the years, his Madera High School bands won numerous other prestigious awards. Allen also became known as “The Arranger” in the Valley, arranging much of the music for his bands and for other college bands and high school bands in the area. Upon his retirement from Madera High in 1971 he taught at CSU, Fresno for ten years and continued arranging and performing with his and other professional bands throughout the valley. His big band performed for the naming and dedication of the “Allen Harkins Amphitheater” in Madera’s Lion’s Town Country Park.