Gary Allan's dog Lucy, a goldendoodle (part golden retriever, part poodle) often seen on stage with her human dad, died recently. The country singer broke the news on Monday (Aug. 16) via social media.
"RIP Lucy!! Lost a great one today, you'll always be missed," Allan wrote on Instagram.
Country artist Randy Houser shared his condolences and a funny story about a dog that'd become a regular at country music festivals.
"Awe man. Never forget her," Houser wrote. "She was awesome. That time Jerrod and I dressed like dogs and came onstage. Lol. She hated us so bad!!!"
Allan, a singer-songwriter from California, spoke about Lucy in interviews, such as a 2018 chat with Go San Angelo during which he said that "she travels with me and comes onstage each night during our encore."
A May 2013 feature by AL.com identified Lucy as being 4 years old at the time, so she would've been 12 or 13 when she passed away. In that same story, Allan called Lucy "the smartest dog I've ever had."
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As anyone who's lost a pet recently knows all too well, adjusting to a new routine is a big part of the grieving process. Allan made Lucy part of living off a tour bus and other elements of being a Nashville star, so reminders of his best friend will be hard to escape. Luckily, Allan has multiple dogs still, increasing the odds that a pet steps up and helps fill the Lucy-shaped void in his heart— not that she can be replaced.
Country music fans first met Allan 25 years and four No. 1 hits ago. He's been on the MCA Nashville roster since the 1999 release of Smoke Rings in the Dark. His most recent studio album, Ruthless, was released on June 25.
