Tough All Over (Gary Allan album)

Tough All Over is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Gary Allan. It was released in October 2005 via MCA Nashville. It was certified gold by the RIAA. Recorded after his wife's suicide, this album is more somber than his previous ones, with several of its songs described as "excruciatingly sad."

Two songs from the album were released as singles: "Best I Ever Had" (a cover of a 2001 Vertical Horizon song) and "Life Ain't Always Beautiful". Both placed in the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Critical acclaim

Rhapsody ranked the album number 7 on its "Country's Best Albums of the Decade" list. Country Universe said the album was the 3rd best of the decade. The Engine 145 country music blog ranked it number 7 on the "Top Country Albums of the Decade" list.

Track listing

Personnel

As listed in liner notes.

• Gary Allan – lead vocals
• Steve Nathan – acoustic piano, synthesizers, Hammond B3 organ
• Reese Wynans – Hammond B3 organ (3, 10)
• Jake Kelly – acoustic guitar
• Brent Rowan – electric guitars
• John Willis – acoustic guitar
• Kenny Greenberg – acoustic guitar (2), electric guitars (2, 7, 8, 12)
• Robby Turner – steel guitar
• Michael Rhodes – bass
• Chad Cromwell – drums
• Eric Darken – percussion
• Hank Singer – fiddle
• Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica (1, 7)
• Nashville String Machine – strings (7)
• David Campbell – string arrangements (7)
• Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor (7)
• Perry Coleman – backing vocals (1–6, 8, 10, 11)
• John Wesley Ryles – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11)
• Wes Hightower – backing vocals (2, 4, 12)
• Russell Terrell – backing vocals (2, 4)

Production

• Gary Allan – producer
• Mark Wright – producer
• Greg Droman – recording, mixing
• Steve Beers – assistant engineer, additional recording
• Todd Gunnerson – assistant engineer, additional recording, mix assistant
• Sang Park – mix assistant
• Jeff Balding – string recording (7)
• Jed Hackett – string recording assistant (7)
• Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Carie Higdon – project coordinator
• Craig Allen – art direction, design
• Tony Baker – photography
• Rachel Stolte – hair, make-up
• Renee Layher – wardrobe stylist
• John Lytle – management

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References