Gary Allan Plays First Nashville Show in Eight Years to Celebrate New Album, ‘Ruthless’

After eight years, country hitmaker Gary Allan returned to the stage in Nashville to celebrate the release of his brand…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 30, 2021

Gary Allan; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

After eight years, country hitmaker Gary Allan returned to the stage in Nashville to celebrate the release of his brand new album, Ruthless.

Allan’s exclusive, sold-out album release concert took place at the new Fifth + Broadway complex located in the heart of Downtown Nashville. With stunning views of the Nashville skyline surrounding him, Allan took the stage to perform his hits such as “Songs About Rain,” “Every Storm,” and “Watching Airplanes” as well as songs from the new album, including the title track.

Ruthless is Allen’s first studio album since 2013’s Set You Free. The project includes 13 tracks and showcases Allan’s influences of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The collection was produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Greg Droman, Jay Joyce, and Allan himself.

“This is a montage of everything I have done since my last album,” Allan previously shared in a statement. “It’s what I love. I remain influenced by the ‘90s — as well as by the ‘80s. Twenty-six tracks were cut for this album. Then I went back to the studio and recorded three or four more tracks. Then I returned for two more. From each of these many sessions, I stripped out the cool stuff that I wanted on the record.”

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Gary Allan has a slew of tour dates planned throughout the summer. Fans can visit his official website for additional details.

Check out our exclusive photos of Gary Allan’s album release concert below.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.