The micro-version of how Gary Allan got to Nashville is well-known, especially among his loyal fans. The 'It Ain't the Whiskey' singer recently sat down to record his episode of Guitar Center Sessions, where he shared all of the details, including the song his benefactor heard before writing him a check for $12,000. Watch him tell the story in this video, premiering on Taste of Country. 

Allan had sung the demo for 'If I Was a Drinkin' Man,' an eventual Top 20 hit for Neal McCoy. A co-worker at the car dealer he was working for slipped it into the player of her new Dodge truck, and she came back impressed -- really impressed. Before long, she and her husband were cutting Allan a check, with no promise of getting the money returned to them.

What Allan did with that money, and what he was doing before he took that job at the dealership, are new details to the story of the singer's success. Another label had actually agreed in principle to sign him, but it all fell through at the last moment.

Watch the clip above, and then look for Allan's full Guitar Center Sessions episode on Friday (Dec. 13) at 9PMET on DirectTV's Audience Network.