Gary’s plethora of back-to-back hits since 1996 leaves country music fans wondering where he gets his endless inspiration from. Gary Allan Herzberg has been in the music business since releasing his first album, which was certified Gold Heart Used For Sale. In 2018, the country music legend released ten studio albums and two compilation albums under two different labels. He also had 26 of his singles top the charts on various billboards, including seven in the top 10.
Gary Allan’s Bio
The musician was born and raised in La Mirada, California on December 5, 1967. His family believed strongly in two things: music and education. Gary joined his father, Harley at age 13 to play regular country music bars called honky tonks. Also, he turned down a recording contract from A&M Records at the age of 15 in favor of completing his education.
While at La Serna High School in Whittier, California continued to perform at crowded local venues with her band The Honky Tonk Wranglers. A mix of opportunity and talent would bring Gary into the spotlight. This series of events began when he met songwriter-producer Byron Hill, who was instrumental in Allan’s career.
They met in California in 1993 through a friend named Jim Seal. The two were successful and stayed in touch over the years, often collaborating on small projects. In 1995, Gary Allan received a generous check for $12,000 from a wealthy couple after listening to his demo he had left in the glove compartment of a truck they had purchased. The budding musician used the money to record some of the songs he and Byron had worked on during their first collaboration.
Byron sent four of these songs to different labels, which immediately began claiming the rights of the musician. Byron and Gary eventually settled on Decca Records. Under Decca, Allan released his first three albums Used Heart For Sale, That Would Be You, and Smoke Rings in the Dark. Although the first two albums produced a slew of singles, his third album reflects a musical growth and maturity in Allan’s approach that really gave the album wings. It was certified platinum by the RIAA.
After Decca Records folded in early 1999, Garya was moved to its parent company MCA Nashville’s artist roster. In the 2000s, Allan went into overdrive, releasing four studio albums and a compilation album.
Alright, her fourth studio album released in 2001 produced her first single to top the US Billboard country charts. Her 2003 album See If I Care produced two number one singles “Nothing But the Radio” and “Tough Little Boys”.
His sixth studio album Hard Everywhere was a deeply personal album as the singer was facing some very difficult times at this point in his life. The album was a huge hit, shipping 99,000 units in its first week. It also came in at No. 3 on Billboard 200 and the number one spot on Top Country Albums. It was certified gold at the end of the following year.
Gary Allan’s Girlfriend, Wife, Daughter
The California-born country singer has been around the marital block a few times. Gary married his first wife, a woman named Tracy Taylor in 1987 when he was just 19 years old. After getting divorced, he tied the knot with then-model Dannette Day. The wedding took place in South Carolina on November 28, 1998. However, their union did not respect the distance, as they canceled it less than a year later, in June 1999.
He married his third wife Angela on June 5, 2001. All seemed to be going well in the singer’s life until tragedy struck. Angela, who had suffered from severe depression and migraines, committed suicide in the early morning of October 25, 2004. Gary had left the bedroom to bring her a coke in the kitchen when he heard the gunshot. She stuck the gun in her mouth and pulled the trigger. Following this tragedy, Gary stepped away from music to grieve in private, but he decided to channel his grief and put it into his music. This resulted in his successful Hard Everywhere album.
Years later, he would appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about Angela’s life and suicide. Gary Allan has three daughters from his first marriage: Maggie, Dallas and Tanna. The musician currently has no relationship, however, he reportedly dated model Justina Crosslin between 2007 and 2008.
Other facts to know about Gary Allan
1. Gary may be signed to a record label but he’s not one to follow instructions that go against his personal goals. Evidenced by the title of his fifth studio album See If I Care. After releasing the album, he has stated in interviews that he will always make the kind of music he feels like making with or without label support.
2. In his early days with his band hinky tink, Gary turned down help from promoters who wanted to give him a bigger following. His reasoning was that they were going to try to control the kind of music he played.
3. Gary has three biological children from his first marriage. However, he also has three stepchildren thanks to his three-year marriage to his third wife, Angela.
4. In 2003, Gary and his family moved to Tennessee with their six children. Interestingly, the location of their new home was only a few blocks from where his ex-wife lived.
5. Allan’s mom cried when he got his first tattoo at age 15. She said it made her look like a criminal.
6. Gary Allan was employed as a used car salesman when he signed his first recording contract with Decca Records.
7. The country musician had a brief stint as an actor. He played Eddie Cochran in the television miniseries Shake, Rattle & Roll. He was also on CBS Pensacola: Golden Wings.
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