Multi-platinum-selling country music staple Gary Allan has returned with the new EMI Nashville studio album Ruthless. He introduced it on release day last Friday (25) with a special concert at the newly-opened Fifth + Broadway complex on Nashville.
Allan co-produced the 13-track set with seasoned producers Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Greg Droman, and Jay Joyce. Filled with his original, cutting-edge music, with its evocative influences from the 1980s and 90s, it features collaborations with such A-list Nashville songwriters as Hillary Lindsey, the late Busbee, Shane McAnally, Nicolle Galyon, Ross Ellis, Ryan Hurd, Jim Beavers, Blair Daly, the Warren Brothers and more.
“This is a montage of everything I have done since my last album,” says Allan says. “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 pulled out the cool stuff that I wanted on the record.”
The Fifth + Broadway show was a swift sellout, with fans seizing tickets for what was Allan’s first concert in Nashville in eight years, since he played consecutive sold-out dates at the Ryman Auditorium. His headliner at Duck Jam at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX was available on Y2Kountry on SiriusXM on Saturday (26) in a subscriber-exclusive live broadcast.
Allan’s 25-year major label career began with 1996’s Used Heart For Sale, the first of two albums for Decca Nashville before he moved to his longtime home at MCA Nashville, starting with 1999’s platinum-selling Smoke Rings In The Dark. He has also announced a new merchandise collection that can be purchased with the album, including exclusive t-shirts, hats, vinyl, and more on his website.
Buy or stream Gary Allan’s Ruthless.
