Marie Krolikowski
marie.lakelife@gmail.com
Singer and song-writer Gary Allan has been described as having the allure of a modern-day outlaw. Since the 1990s, he’s been a force on the country music scene and has stayed true to his roots and sound along the way.
On May 4, Allan will bring that talent to the Lake as he takes the stage at Ozarks Amphitheater.
His accomplishments in the country music industry are nothing less than monumental. Fans, critics and peers are drawn to his “signature blend of smoldering vocals, rebellious lyrics, and raucous live performances.”
His most recent album, titled “Ruthless,” features 13 songs produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Greg Droman, Jay Joyce and Allan himself. His previous album, “Set You Free,” marked a first for Allan by topping the Billboard 200 Pop Chart. It also made the top of the Billboard Country Album Chart, and produced his fifth #1 country radio hit titled “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain).”
Eight additional albums released sold over eight million copies, been certified platinum on three back-to-back albums, and have been certified gold five times. He has five #1 hits at country radio, fourteen Top 10 hits and over 2.8 billion streams.
He’s appeared on a number of talk shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live and others. He’s graced the covers of Country Weekly, Pollstar and People magazine.
Born in 1967, Gary Allan Herzberg was raised in La Mirada, Calif. Music was always a staple in the household, and his mother made sure the family’s guitars were always visible. “I started playing in bars with my dad and brother when I was 12 years old,” Allan said. At the young age of 15, he was offered a record deal. His father refused to let him sign.
“My dad told me I imitated people then, and I needed to find myself and who I wanted to be,” Allan explained. “I was angry at the time, but I found out he was right. In the bars, I didn’t have to think about how I played songs. By the time I got to Nashville, I knew who I was.”
Allan went on to form a high school band prior to serving in the army. When he came back home, he auditioned as a guitar player, got the job and became the front man. The “Honky Tonk Wranglers” played in packed venues, and promoters wanted to move them to larger clubs.
“My influences in music were artists like George Jones and Waylon Jennings,” he said. “I loved everything with attitude. That’s what really hit me when I was a kid.” The move to larger venues would require Allan to stop playing the older country music, so he refused. “I wouldn’t play top 40 covers,” he said. “I was a songwriter and was playing these songs.” That, he said, was the catalyst for getting a record deal.
While focusing on his music, Allan also took a job selling cars. A demo tape of his ended up in the glove compartment of a truck sold to a wealthy couple. They heard his sound and gifted him a check for $12,000. This afforded him the trip to Nashville to record some of his demo songs. For a number of years, Allan commuted from California to Nashville. In 2003 he made Nashville his permanent residence. “I was breaking onto the scene and had to dig a little deeper for songs,” he recalled. “I was convinced I was going to make it.”
While Allan climbed the road to success, life had it’s tragedies too. One year after the move, his wife Angela passed away from suicide after suffering from depression and migraine headaches. Initially putting his career on hold, Allan eventually returned to music and found it healing. The result was his 2005 album titled “Tough All Over.” Allan wrote or co-wrote several of the songs on this heart-wrenching compilation. It sold over 99,000 copies in its first week and climbed to #1 on Top Country Albums. It was also certified gold.
“That’s when music proved to be therapy for me,” he said. “I remember crying when I played some of the songs. Country music is life, it’s the nine to five. Most of the stuff I was writing was so sad.”
These songs include “Puttin’ Memories Away,” and “I Just Got Back from Hell.” The album also features the top 10 hits “Best I Ever Had,” and "Life Ain’t Always Beautiful.” Allan had even darker sounding songs in mind, but his producer didn’t want to go there. The producer’s son suggested the album include “Best I Ever Had,” which Allan said turned out to be a good choice.
Each of Allan’s albums have their own unique sound. “I approach each one fresh and try to write as much as I can,” he explained. “I gather friends to do it with me.” His next album is expected to be released late fall or early spring of 2025.
“It’s stripped down,” Allan said. “I just wanted to make an adult record that people want to play over and over.”
He’s been described as “dark and dreamy” and “a maverick.” People magazine named him one of the sexiest men alive. His sound has been noted as “soulful and rough around the edges,” and “raspy and unpolished.” It’s also been described as “elegant.”
Allan has taken the stage with the best of the best, including Brooks & Dunn and Tracy Lawrence to name a few. He talks about the success of today’s artists and refers to them as friends. He’s sold out large and small venues all over the country, and averages 80 shows a year. After interviewing him, it’s evident he’s a humble man who loves country music.
Allan prefers the older country sound to today’s pop country that is played on country radio.”The songs have got to have soul, have real meaning,” he stressed. “Country music is what happens during the week. Rock ‘n roll is about what happens on the weekend.”
“There’s some magic in every tour I do,” he said. “When I got to Nashville I thought we were going to do it my way, until it didn’t work. I feel I cross a lot of generations with my music. I feel lucky to be here.”
