Gary Allan was born Gary Allan Herzberg in La Mirada, California on December 5, 1967. Allan was born to Harley and Mary Herzberg and was raised in a musical household. His father was an active musician and his mother decorated the walls of their homes with guitars.His musical career began in his teen years playing honky tonks throughout California with his father. Gary was in fact offered a record deal with A&M at the age 13 but turned down the deal so as to focus on finishing high school. His father felt strongly that Gary also develop further as a musician."I played the bars at night, I was half asleep when I got to school. I thought sleep was what you did when you got to school,” Gary joked of his teenage years speaking with NuCountry.com.