Never listened to Gary Allan until today - Tough Little Boys (EMOTIONAL REACTION!)

[@marcussmith6805]

Gary Allan has to be one of the most underrated vocal talents in country music.

[@Brandon-greene]

Gary allen sand in my soul

[@MattDay-f4g]

Gary Allan is one of my FAVORITES,!!

[@SilverbladeDagger]

The thing about Gary Allan is that he's the thinking man's country artist. He writes a lot of his songs, and most of all, his lives his songs, so they have that extra amount of heart and soul put into them. He's one of my most favorite modern country singers. Now, when I say he lived his music, it can be quite literal. When this song came out, I believe he and his wife had a new baby girl, and he was not only rising as a country star, but things were pretty good in his life. However his wife, an airline stewardess, had severe migraines and suffered from depression, and one night she took her own life. That rocked Gary's world so hard that the following two or three albums he put out were about feeling loss and grief, and eventually about putting it behind him and moving on. There are songs that reflect that era of his life, such as "Life Ain't Always Beautiful", "Get Off On The Pain", "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)", and the song that is directly relating to his wife that when he sings it live, he usually has to take a deep swig of Jack Daniels called "No Regrets". His songs have a distinctly "Bakersfield" sound that was created and propagated by the late greats Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and by Dwight Yoakam who gave the sound some modern polish. You don't hear it so much in this song, but in others you will recognize it in comparison with other country songs. It just hits different, but with his voice, it works so well! He's an artist that believes country music is for the week days, and rock for the week ends. He also doesn't desire to be a big country star, since they burn out just as quickly as they rise, but he wants to be a guy that's always there, playing his music, doing the tours, and drinking when the time calls for it. And no, I'm not a publicist, for him or any other artist! 🤣 I just really love Gary Allan's music, admire him as a person, and have spent many many hours studying his music, getting deep into the lyrics, music, and melodies, and knowing what makes him different from other country artists.

[@davidrozzell4018]

I've cried to this song 1000 times. Straight up real to me. The hardest longest day of my life was my daughter's first day of school, putting her on that bus. She turns 29 Sunday.

[@tarheelforlife4008]

My son was 3 when this song came out I remember it but now hearing again he’s 24 and reflecting the tear are flowing

[@ericpotter8874]

Gary Allan is my favorite singer. Smoke rings in the dark needs to be at the top of your list. He has sooo many songs that make you think and feel what he is singing about. He is remarried now. But his past wife shot herself. He was on opara about it. She was having uncontrollable migraines and mood swings. 😢

[@jopat1424]

Smoke Rings in the Dark and The One by him are two of my favs...

[@jjayp1]

Before the suits in Nashville kicked out REAL talent in the mid2000s to make way for bro country, Gary Allan was a beast. He wrote his hit Life Ain't Always Beautiful after his wife committed self deletion. My favorite song of his is Songs About Rain but he has a catalog full of hits, Smoke Rings in the Dark, Man to Man, Just Got Back From Hell, Watching Airplanes, Learning How to Bend, Get off on the Pain, Nothin on but the Radio. I saw him at the Western Idaho Fair in 2011.

[@nosparex]

Gary is the real deal.

[@katelynncheyanne2937]

If your looking for another one by him I highly suggest Every Storm Runs Out of Rain

[@Bennromansince1955]

Was on the way to the "big time" but a series of hard knocks almost derailed him. Wife committed suicide and his music went dark for a bit. He's still cranking out songs!!

[@joyyearwood5250]

As the crow flies!

[@kennethb6124]

I had this one on my list to recommend as well 😂😅🔥

[@susanrhodes8059]

I had actually forgotten about this song! I love it❤❤❤❤❤

[@JAMESMOORE-gq4vv]

SONGS ABOUT RAIN.

[@slow6oh288]

Cost of Living by Ronnie Dunn is absolutely relevant to what everyone is dealing with today!

[@cockynanderson]

I only have a son but I was told by a man who has both a boy and girl, he said this is the thought process. When you hold your son for the first time you think "I will die for you" But when you hold your daughter for the first time you think "Oh I will kill for you!"

[@shane-fz9zh]

May I request 8th of November by big and rich or if heaven wasn’t so far away by Justin Moore

[@johncalliope197]

Do right where I need to be

[@JJLovesMusic87]

Revelation 17:17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled