Gary Allan began playing in honky tonks in his native Southern California at the ripe old age of 12 with his dad's band. Eventually, Allan followed started his own band and returned to those same honky tonks with his own sound that was true Bakersfield country, ala Merle Haggard.

Allan spent most of his twenties honing his skills as a new traditionalist country singer. Finally, in 1996, he was picked up by the Decca-Nashville label and his first album, [Used Heart for Sale] was released that year. Two years later, his second album, [It Would Be You,] came out.

In 1999, Decca closed its doors. However, Allan's contract was picked up by MCA-Nashville, which released his [Smoke Rings in the Dark] album later that year. The album combined most of what Allan did best, dusty honky tonk and country ballads. The album even included a rousing cover of the Del Shannon classic, "Runaway," which harkened back to Allan's younger days on the honky tonk circuit.