Every storm runs out of rain, as Gary Allan put it in his fourth and most recent No. 1 single, and fans could be forgiven for thinking the California-born, country hit-maker is in the midst of a musical drought.

In early 2015, the “Nothing On but the Radio” singer announced “Hard Way,” the follow-up to his ninth studio album, 2013’s “Set You Free,” and released the R&B-tinged single “Hangover Tonight.” Two more singles followed in the next two years but failed to break the top 40 on any chart, and “Hard Way” was delayed.

But with a slight label shake-up (from MCA Nashville to EMI Nashville) behind him, Allan is now poised to update and finally release “Hard Way.” He’s continued to bring his gritty Bakersfield sound to audiences around the country in the interim, and will perform at the Deschutes County Fair on Saturday.

Allan closes out the Fair’s concert series, which also includes modern country-pop duo Big & Rich with country-rapper Cowboy Troy on Thursday and classic rock survivors Grand Funk Railroad on Friday.

This interview with Allan, conducted via email, has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: First of all, where are you right now? How’s the tour and life on the road treating you?

A: Life on the road is going great right now. We are having a lot of fun at the shows, and now that we are close to the West Coast, I am seeing a lot of family come out as well. Last night we were in Primm, Nevada, and I had several family members who made the trip to come see us. After the show, the band and I headed to Orange County for a day off and to see more family.

Q: Are you looking forward to playing the Deschutes County Fair?

A: Oregon is a beautiful place, and we always enjoy playing shows here. We have played all over the state, but I don’t think we have ever played in Redmond. Most of the places we have hit have been a couple of hours from the Redmond area.

Q: You have a lot of fair shows on your schedule. What do you enjoy about playing county fairs like Deschutes and others?

A: The fair shows are always great. The fans come out to have a good time and typically have a lot of energy for the show. We feed off of the crowds, and it always makes for a great show.

Q: Do you have an update on the new album “Hard Way?” Is it frustrating to have to sit on this music for so long? Have you tweaked anything on the album in the waiting period or recorded anything else for it, or do you consider it completed?

A: It has been a bit frustrating to not have new music out for a while, but I want to make sure it is the right music for me. I was recording and then paused while I was going through record label negotiations. Once that was finished and I was under a new imprint within UMG, I wanted to make sure I gave the new EMI Nashville team new music. I love the things I have cut, but I also want to freshen it up a bit. I am working on that now and hope to have an update on new music soon.

Q: Can you compare/contrast the writing process with co-writers, versus just writing by yourself? What do you like about each?

A: I typically do co-writes. I have a core group of people that I write with, and they will occasionally bring new writers into the mix. I am comfortable with my core group, but it is great when the new people come along as well. They seem to push me a bit more and we usually come up with something creative that I may not have done on my own.

Q: You grew up in a musical family with very supportive parents, and music was part of your life from an early age. But you’ve also talked about surfing growing up. Was there ever a push-pull between these two pursuits, or did they complement each other?

A: I don’t think there was ever a push-pull scenario between the two. On most days, I would surf before and after school, but I was also playing music. We have instruments and amps sitting out at all times in our house. I’d come home and just pick up a guitar.

Q: You’ve talked about being offered a record deal at 15 and turning it down because your father felt you hadn’t yet developed your sound. How hard was that at the time?

A: At the time, it was very difficult. I was playing in a band with my brother and my dad. When my dad refused to let me sign, I quit playing with them. I started doing my own thing, and it turned out my dad was right. Not long after that, I quit imitating other people and found my own voice. I am thankful he was able to see that when I couldn’t.

Q: Is there anything else coming up or anything else you’re working on that you think people should know about?

A: Some people know this, but while I had some down time during the label negotiations, I started a jewelry line. I had a clothing store in Nashville and always admired the silversmiths who made jewelry for us. I talked to one of them and he said he would show me how to do it. After a few lessons, I bought all the equipment and started my own line — Gary Allan Custom Jewelry. I design pieces, carve them into wax molds, cast them in metal and sometimes set stones in them. It has been a great creative outlet and the fans love it. My daughters went to jewelry school and now it is a family business. Once I do the designs and carving, they can take it from there while I am on the road.