Staying True to the Voice

Decades after “Watching Airplanes,” Gary Allan continues to connect with audiences by remaining unmistakably himself.

By Monica Jones

You know that feeling when a song finds you?

The kind that settles into your life and stays there. Years later, you may not remember exactly when you first heard it, but you remember the feeling it left behind.

For me, it’s “Watching Airplanes.”

Like many of Gary Allan’s songs, it lingered. It became attached to memories, long drives, quiet moments and all the little pieces of life that music somehow manages to collect along the way.

And maybe that’s the real gift of a songwriter. Long before we know much about the person behind the music, the songs have already become part of our story.

That may be one of the reasons Gary Allan has remained such a distinctive voice in country music for more than three decades.

His songs explore familiar themes of love, loss, resilience and hope, but they do so through a perspective that feels uniquely his own. There is an authenticity in the way he approaches a song that invites listeners in and allows them to find pieces of themselves in the story.

Allan sees that connection as the foundation of everything he does.

“I try to write and sing songs that I have lived or can relate to in my own life,” he said. “If they can relate to your songs, or place themselves in them, they form a connection with you and your music.”

That perspective may explain why Gary Allan’s music has always felt so personal. When he sings about heartbreak, hope or perseverance, it rarely feels like he is performing an emotion. It feels like he understands it.

That authenticity has helped create the lasting connection Allan shares with his audience.

That connection extends far beyond the songs themselves. Even after years of touring and chart success, Allan still makes time for his annual fan club gathering in Nashville, an event he describes as an opportunity to connect with the people who made his career possible.

“I recognize that I have this career because of my fans and want them to know how much I appreciate them,” he said.

“Music evolves, and you have to evolve with it,” he said. “However, I feel you have to stay true to yourself and your sound as well. It is a fine balance.”

Allan has spent much of his career walking that line. Through decades of change, his artistic voice has remained unmistakably his own while continuing to grow alongside the genre he loves. It is also one of the accomplishments he is most proud of.

“I always said I wanted a career like Willie Nelson,” he said. “Meaning longevity.”

More than thirty years after beginning his career, Allan is still recording, still touring and still finding new ways to connect with audiences. He is currently working on new music and says fans can expect a few surprises while still hearing the qualities that have defined his sound from the beginning.

“We are trying some new things while still staying true to who I am,” he said. “I think people will be surprised, but excited.”

While the studio remains important, it is clear that the stage is where Allan feels most at home.

“I make music to play it live,” he said. “I love seeing the crowd on their feet and hearing them singing the lyrics back to me. There is nothing like it. It is pure adrenaline every night.”

That energy is something audiences will experience firsthand when Allan takes the stage at RiverCenter for the Performing Arts on June 5.

Fans can expect a setlist that balances beloved hits, fan favorites and newer material. Allan admits narrowing down the songs is one of the biggest challenges each year.

“We try to include the hits, a few of the fan favorite album cuts and work in a few new songs and create a balance between them all,” he said.

And there are certain moments he knows the audience is waiting for.

“When we kick off ‘Watching Airplanes’ or ‘Right Where I Need To Be,’ the crowd usually gets pretty rowdy,” he said. “They know what’s coming from the first couple of guitar licks and they are on their feet screaming.”

Opening the evening will be Georgia native Rocco Gorelik, a rising singer-songwriter and guitarist whose traditional country sound has already earned attention far beyond his years. At just 15 years old, Gorelik has shared stages with artists including Lainey Wilson, Marcus King and Trey Hensley and has earned recognition as a Gibson Guitar Artist.

His appearance adds another layer to an evening that celebrates both the future and the enduring power of country music storytelling.

The performance also continues what has been an exceptional season for RiverCenter. Under the leadership of Lee Foster, audiences have enjoyed a remarkable lineup of artists, productions and performances that continue to reinforce RiverCenter’s role as one of the region’s premier cultural destinations.

For many in the audience, June 5 will be an opportunity to spend an evening with the artist behind songs that have already become part of their lives.

When asked what he hopes people take with them when they leave one of his concerts, Allan’s answer was characteristically straightforward.

“I hope fans leave my show excited, exhausted, and wanting more.”

Gary Allan performs at RiverCenter for the Performing Arts on Friday, June 5. Tickets are available directly through RiverCenter at RiverCenter.org. Purchasing through the venue is the best way to ensure valid tickets and avoid third-party resale issues.

And if Allan’s career has taught us anything, it’s that some songs never really leave us. They simply wait for the next time we hear them.

This time, they’ll be heard live.