Gary Allan is a country music artist known for singles such as "Nothing On but the Radio" and "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)." Allan's voice has been described as raspy and unpolished, and his sound is influenced heavily by the Bakersfield scene, with elements reminiscent of artists like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.

Because his sound is different from many of the current crop of country singers, as their sound is considerably more pop or rock, Allan has, at times had difficulty getting radio to play his singles. He says he has to "walk a real fine line" to "make sure that I get traditional stuff on the radio".

Allan has been quite successful at getting his songs on the radio, though. Overall, Allan's highly successful country music career has produced over 20 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay Charts, including the #1 hits "Man to Man", "Tough Little Boys" (both 2003), "Nothing On but the Radio" (2004), and "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)" (2013).

Some of his other hit singles have hit the top 10 of that chart, including his debut single "Her Man" (#7), "It Would Be You" (#7), "Right Where I Need to Be" (#5), "The One" (#3), "Best I Ever Had" (#7), "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" (#4), and "Watching Airplanes" (#2).

Allan was born and raised in La Mirada, California, to Harley and Mary Herzberg. To ensure that the family would focus on music, Allan's mother insisted that the family's guitars would always remain visible in the home.

At age thirteen, Allan began playing in honky-tonks with his father. Two years later, he was offered his first recording contract, from A&M Records, but rejected the deal. His parents wanted him to finish his education and his father felt that Allan had yet to develop his own distinctive style.