For nearly two years, Gary Burk III did not play his guitar.

After graduating from Moniteau High School in 2012, Burk, a native of Chicora, was told music was not a viable career option. He gave up playing and instead focused on what he described as “a real job.”

Burk, 26, said he sat down one day and just felt the need to pick up his guitar again.

“I missed it,” Burk said. “I missed it if it was in front of five people or 500. One day I sat down and said, 'I need to play.' And I haven't put it down since.”

Shortly after Burk started playing again, an old friend reached out to him and asked if he would be interested in starting a band.

A few years later, Burk is well on his way to turning his dreams into reality, making music his career by recently signing a record deal with MC1 Nashville.

Burk said he has been interested in music ever since he was young.

“From the time I was little, I've always enjoyed playing in front of people,” Burk said.

He started singing at 9 years old and taught himself to play guitar at age 13.

Burk said he first became interested in playing in front of people after he met the band, Alabama, when he was 13.

“I met those guys when I was really young,' Burk said. “I've been chasing this dream for a long time.”

Burk played his first show at the American Legion in East Brady when he was 14 years old.

He played shows locally all the way until the years he gave up music and then began playing again.

Burk plays with a few other local musicians: Jason Rusiewicz of Seven Fields and Robert Mead of Boyers.

In 2018, Burk signed with an independent music label and released his first album, “Show 'Em What You Got,” earlier this year.

Two songs from the album were released as singles, and both found success. The song “Two Lane Airplane” was No. 1 in 11 countries and “Like That” won the Contemporary Country Male Song of the Year at the Sixth Annual Josie Music Awards.

Burk said things really started to change for him in 2019 when he had the opportunity to open for several big-name artists.

“In one year, we went from playing bars to shows with 15,000 to 20,000 people,” Burk said.

One of the groups Burk opened for was Alabama, the band that inspired him to be a performer years ago.

“Having the opportunity (to open for Alabama) 10 years later was really neat,” Burk said.

“It was great getting the opportunity to open for artists that do what I want to do,” he added.

A father of four, Burk said his children recently started to understand what it is he does.

“They didn't understand until they came to a show and saw what I do,” Burk said.

“It's exciting, bringing them around with us.”

Burk was ready to take the next step in his career and was set to play in a showcase for MC1 Nashville earlier this year.

Because of the pandemic, however, the show was canceled.

Even without playing at the showcase, Burk said the record label still called him and asked if he wanted to sign.

He signed a deal Nov. 23 and plans to re-release “Two Lane Airplane” and a new single, “I'm Not Ready,” in 2021.

Burk said his music is played on a few different radio stations locally and in Pittsburgh, and is available on Spotify, iTunes, iHeartRadio and Pandora.