Sunday, August 23, 2009

Country artist Gary Allan to play USA in late October

By William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Sunday, August 23, 2009
Story last updated at 8/23/2009 - 1:36 am

Country recording artist Gary Allan will headline a concert on Oct. 23 at the United Spirit Arena, 1701 Indiana Ave; it will be part of his "I Get Off on the Pain" tour.

Stoney LaRue and Justin Moore are the opening acts. Ticket prices have not yet been announced, but reserved seats definitely will go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 at all local and area Select-A-Seat outlets.

This is the fourth concert confirmed by the USA thus far this fall and winter. The four are comedy superstar Jeff Dunham on Sept. 3; Allan on Oct. 23; Kelly Clarkson on Nov. 5; and Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Dec. 10.

Kent Meredith and Cindy Harper, the director and associate director at the USA, respectively, continue to seek possible concerts and juggle dates.

They are hoping to find a way to bring in popular recording artists while not disturbing the flow of practices and games for the Texas Tech men's and Lady Raiders basketball teams.

Allan was born Gary Allan Hetzberg in California and, using his first and middle names, impressed Decca Records in Nashville and was signed to his first contract in 1996.

His first single was "Her Man" from his best-selling, debut album, "Used Hearts for Sale."

Overall, Allan's seven studio albums and Greatest Hits package have yielded 22 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Three reached Number One status. Those titles are "Man to Man" and "Tough Little Boys" in 2003, and "Nothing On but the Radio" in 2004.

Seven more scored in the Top 10, including "Right Where I Need to Be," "Best I Ever Had," "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" and "Watching Airplanes."

Stoney LaRue is considered one of the more popular Red Dirt music makers from Oklahoma, while Justin Moore grew up in rural Arkansas, but moved to Nashville after high school graduation to get his songs heard.

Keith Stegall, Alan Jackson's producer, heard them and was very impressed. Moore released his own debut album on the Valory Music label in 2008.

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