Gary Allan Makes a Check Off Career Wish List

This Thursday, Nov. 12, Gary Allan will headline the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the first time in his career.

"The last time I played the Ryman, I opened for Mark Chesnutt and David Lee Murphy," Gary tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper. "It was a really long time ago. I am looking forward to playing it again."

Gary says he purposely doesn't do many shows in Nashville since there aren't many "cool rooms" to play, but the Ryman is certainly an exception to this rule!

"[Playing the Ryman is] one of those big ones to mark off your list," he says.

Another aspect Gary is looking forward to with this show is having the perks of headlining where he can take his show to any level he wants by not worrying about playing a short set like opening acts are forced to do.

"It seems like when you're an opening act you try to go out and just bang the whole time and make it loud and fast and hard," Gary explains. "There's a lot more intimacy [being a headliner]. It's just more dynamic now."

Jack Ingram and the Eli Young Band will serve as Gary's openers for Thursday's show.