Montgomery Gentry
Encyclopedia
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music
duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery
, and founded the existing duo in 1999.
Signed to Columbia Records
, Montgomery Gentry released its debut album Tattoos & Scars
that year. They have since recorded five more studio albums: Carrying On
(2001), My Town
(2002), You Do Your Thing
(2004), Some People Change
(2006), and Back When I Knew It All
(2008) and a Greatest Hits package. These albums have produced more than twenty chart singles for the duo on the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
charts, including the number 1 hits "If You Ever Stop Loving Me
", "Something to Be Proud Of
", "Lucky Man
", "Back When I Knew It All
" and "Roll with Me
" and ten more songs which reached the top ten. Tattoos & Scars, My Town and You Do Your Thing are all certified platinum
by the Recording Industry Association of America
.
The duo left Columbia in 2010 and signed with Average Joe's Entertainment
a year later. Their first release for the label, "Where I Come From", debuted in mid-2011.
, and Troy Gentry was born April 5, 1967 in Nicholasville, Kentucky
. When Montgomery was 13, he played drums
in his parents' band, Harold Montgomery and the Country River Express. In 1990, Montgomery founded the band Early Tymz, which included his younger brother, John Michael Montgomery
, and Troy Gentry. After Early Tymz broke up, the Montgomery brothers and Gentry briefly performed as Young Country, with John Michael as lead vocalist. John Michael left for a solo career in the early 1990s. Gentry went solo and won the Jim Beam
National Talent Contest in 1994, which led to him opening for Patty Loveless
and Tracy Byrd. Gentry initially wanted to pursue a solo career, but after he was unable to find a record deal, he reunited with Eddie Montgomery to form a duo called Deuce, which played at local nightclubs. The duo later changed its name to Montgomery Gentry, and signed with Columbia Records
in 1999.
", in early 1999. It entered the Billboard
country singles charts two weeks before its scheduled release date, peaking at number 13 on the country charts and 62 on the Billboard Hot 100
. High radio demand for the single led to the label advancing the release date of the duo's debut album, Tattoos & Scars
, from early May to April 6.
"Lonely and Gone
" was the album's second single, peaking at number 5 on the country charts by year's end. Following it was the top 20 "Daddy Won't Sell the Farm
", which won its co-writer, Canadian country singer Steve Fox
, the 2000 Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) award for Song of the Year. After it, Montgomery Gentry charted the number 31 singles "Self Made Man" and "All Night Long". The latter, which featured guest vocals from Charlie Daniels
, was previously the b-side to "Hillbilly Shoes". It was also Daniels' first appearance in the top 40 since "Mister DJ" in 1990. The duo won the Vocal Duo of the Year award at the Country Music Association
Awards in late 2000, the first time since in eight years that Brooks & Dunn
did not win this award. They also won the Top New Vocal Duo or Group award from the Academy of Country Music
and the 2000 Favorite New Artist—Country award at the American Music Awards
. By the end of 2000, Montgomery Gentry charted at number 38 with a cover of Robert Earl Keen
's "Merry Christmas from the Family
", itself the b-side to "All Night Long". Tattoos & Scars was certified platinum
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) in 2001, for shipments of one million copies.
The album received generally positive reviews for the duo's Southern rock
influences. Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave it four stars out of five, calling it "one of the best pop records of the year. Period." and Alanna Nash
of Entertainment Weekly
rated it "B", saying that the album was "testosterone-laden". In comparison, Country Standard Time
reviewer Jeffrey B. Remz thought that many of the duo's songs lacked distinctiveness, saying that they seemed to be derivative of Daniels and Travis Tritt
.
, was released in mid-2001. Lead-off single "She Couldn't Change Me
" peaked at number 2 on the country charts and number 37 on the Hot 100, making their first Top 40 entry there. The album's only other single, "Cold One Comin' On", reached number 23 on the country charts. Also included on the album was a cover of Waylon Jennings
' "I'm a Ramblin' Man
". In March 2002, they charted at number 45 with the track "Didn't I", a cut from the soundtrack to the film We Were Soldiers
which was never officially released as a single. The duo promoted the album both on a headline tour sponsored by Jim Beam, and on the Brooks & Dunn Neon Circus & Wild West Tour, which included Toby Keith
and Keith Urban
. Later in 2002, they toured with Kenny Chesney
on his No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems tour.
Mike Kraski, then the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Sony Music Nashville
, thought that Carrying On showed an artistic growth over Tattoos & Scars, and the duo itself thought that Carrying On was more "edgy" in comparison. It was less favorably received than its predecessor; William Ruhlmann thought that many of the songs "sound like they're trying to hard to be macho", and Country Standard Times Mike Clark thought that the duo was "playing it safe", although he described the singles favorably. The album was certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies.
. After working with producer Joe Scaife on their first two albums, they switched to Blake Chancey
. Chancey allowed them to pick different session musicians than typically used on mainstream country albums, such as Chuck Leavell
and Johnny Neel
of The Allman Brothers Band
, whose "Good Clean Fun" was covered on it. They also chose songs co-written by songwriters who had not appeared on their previous albums, including Jeffrey Steele
and Rivers Rutherford
. The album produced three top five singles, all co-written by Steele: the title track and "Speed
" both at number 5, and "Hell Yeah" at number 4. Along with Blake Shelton
and Andy Griggs
, they contributed a guest appearance on Tracy Byrd's mid-2003 single "The Truth About Men
", which made the country top 20. In March 2004, My Town became the duo's second platinum-certified album.
Ruhlmann gave the album a generally positive review, saying that it "rocks harder as it goes along". On the same site, Rick Cohoon praised "My Town" for "painting in words and music both the pace of living in a small town", and "Speed" for being "slower and more deliberate than the recklessness the title suggests." On Country Standard Time, Tom Netherland called it "their third and finest release".
, their fourth album, was issued in mid-2004. It was led off by "If You Ever Stop Loving Me
", which in mid-2004 became Montgomery Gentry's first number 1 single on the country charts. It was also their biggest hit on the Hot 100, reaching number 30 there. Following it, the album's title track went to number 22 on the country charts, while "Gone
" peaked at number 3 and "Something to Be Proud Of
" became their second number-one single. "Gone" was also the most-played single by a country music duo in 2005, and it received a digital gold certification for 500,000 certified music download
s. You Do Your Thing became their third platinum-selling album. Scaife, Chancey, Rutherford, Steele and Mark Wright split production duties on the album. Steele also co-wrote "Gone" and "Something to Be Proud Of" with Bob DiPiero
and Chris Wallin, respectively, while Rutherford and DiPiero co-wrote "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" with Tom Shapiro
. In October 2005, You Do Your Thing became the duo's third platinum album. Rick Bell gave the album a favorable review on Country Standard Time, saying that the duo "unleash [Southern rock] in a torrent of brash lyrics, wailing guitars and pounding percussion." Jurek wrote that it "is easily the finest outing by modern country's most relevant duo; it rocks, it's soulful, and it's memorable." Montgomery Gentry toured in late 2004-early 2005 with Trace Adkins
in support of the album.
"Something to Be Proud Of" also served as the title track to Montgomery Gentry's first greatest hits
album, Something to Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005
. Also included on this disc were "Didn't I", "Merry Christmas from the Family" and the new song "She Don't Tell Me To
" (also co-written by Rutherford, Shapiro and DiPiero), which peaked at number 5 on the country charts in early 2006. Something to Be Proud Of was certified gold.
was the title of Montgomery Gentry's fifth album, which was released in 2006 under the production of Rutherford and Wright. Its title track
, co-written by Neil Thrasher
, Jason Sellers
and Michael Dulaney, was previously recorded by Kenny Chesney on his 2004 album When the Sun Goes Down. Gentry told the Edmonton Sun
that Some People Change "is based more on family issues, the love of the family, the love of neighbors, relationships", and said that the title track "is about being able to challenge your inner demons and the things that can bring people down, alcoholism, or hatred or racism." Montgomery Gentry's version of the song peaked at number 7, followed by the two-week number 1 hit "Lucky Man
" and the number 3 "What Do Ya Think About That
". In 2008, "Lucky Man" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
, the duo's first nomination.
Some People Change was Montgomery Gentry's lowest-selling album at the time. Joe Galante, president of Sony Music Nashville, thought that the album's poor sales were because it "strayed musically from what the base had been. They have an edge to their sound, and I think we got a little too soft." It was also met with mixed reception. Jurek said "It's brave and it looks for commonality, not to define people but to celebrate them." Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times
gave a mixed review, saying that it was more "touchy-feely" than You Do Your Thing, and that "no one works a snarling country chorus like Montgomery Gentry". Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "C", criticizing the duo for the contradictory viewpoints of personal changes on the title track versus the "defense of the American right to piss off your neighbors" in "What Do Ya Think About That". Jurek comparatively called it a "masterpiece" and said that it was "a new pinnacle for the duo", calling the title track "one of those tunes that defines something that lies at the heart of what is good about Americans."
to record their sixth album, Back When I Knew It All
. Once again, they worked with Blake Chancey as producer. This album's title track
, co-written by Trent Willmon
, was the duo's fastest-climbing single. Both it and followup "Roll with Me
", which included a backing vocal from Five for Fighting
, went to number 1. "One in Every Crowd
", co-written by Montgomery with Kim Tribble and former Trick Pony
bassist Ira Dean, was issued in January 2009 as the third single. By the middle of the year, this song peaked at number 5. The fourth single, the number 23 "Long Line of Losers
", was co-written and previously recorded by Kevin Fowler
. Toby Keith
, with whom Montgomery Gentry toured in mid-2008, contributed a guest vocal on the Terri Clark
co-write "I Pick My Parties", and Lillie Mae Rische of Jypsi
made an appearance on "God Knows Who I Am". Thom Jurek wrote of this album, "The hardcore fans will love it, but this isn't the album that will win over many new ones."
On May 26, 2009, Montgomery Gentry was formally invited by Charlie Daniels
to become members of the Grand Ole Opry
. Marty Stuart
and Little Jimmy Dickens
inducted them on June 23. Also in May 2009, Cracker Barrel
restaurants released an exclusive compilation titled For Our Heroes, which included some of their hits along with "Didn't I" and three other songs which had previously been released only as bonus tracks. The restaurant chain donated a portion of all profits from the album to the Wounded Warrior Project
.
titled Hits and More: Life Beside a Gravel Road, which would have included past hits and three new songs. Its first single, "While You're Still Young", peaked at number 32 in mid-2010. On September 17, 2010, a day before the extended play's slated release, Montgomery Gentry exited the label, and Hits and More was shelved. Both members told Country Weekly
that they decided to leave Columbia because "there were so many people trying to encourage us to do something a little different musically. Some of it worked and some of it didn't."
Montgomery Gentry signed to Average Joe's Entertainment
, a label co-owned by country rap artist Colt Ford
, in March 2011. Their first release for the label, "Where I Come From", appears on their seventh album Rebels on the Run
, released on October 18. The album was produced by Michael Knox, who also produces for Jason Aldean
. Jurek thought that the album was "the most consistent offering" since Some People Change "even if it doesn't quite scale those heights", and Country Weekly
reviewer Jessica Nicholson called it "classic Montgomery Gentry".
influences. Steve Huey of Allmusic wrote that the duo "evokes the sound and spirit of Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd
, the Marshall Tucker Band
, and Charlie Daniels
, painting themselves as rowdy redneck rebels who still hold small-town values." They cite Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd
and Hank Williams, Jr.
as primary musical influences. Montgomery and Gentry alternate as lead vocalists, with Gentry often accompanying on acoustic guitar
. Jurek wrote that "Montgomery's rough hewn baritone and Gentry's almost unreal range and trademark phrasing make something highly original". In his book Country, Richard Carlin describes Montgomery Gentry as "rock[ing] harder than Brooks & Dunn
, although their music could be seen as an extension of that successful pair's boot-scootin' sound." He also writes that Gentry sings with a "sweet, high tenor" while Montgomery "complements with an earthy, sometimes raspy, baritone", and notes that the duo has an "energetic stage show and dress".
Many of the duo's mid-tempo songs, such as "My Town", centralize on a theme of rural life. Others, such as "You Do Your Thing" and "Some People Change", have messages of tolerance towards others with differing opinions.
In November 2010, Montgomery told Great American Country
that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer
. The cancer was successfully removed a month later. The same month, his wife, Tracy, announced her divorce, and served his papers at Eddie Montgomery's Steakhouse, a restaurant he owns in Harrodsburg, Kentucky
. The two had four children and had been married for over 20 years. At first, Montgomery posted to Twitter
and Facebook
that she divorced him because she did not want to "cope with his illness", which she later denied. Troy Gentry married Angie McClure in late 1999. They have one daughter named Kaylee, born in November 2002; he has an older daughter, Taylor, from a previous marriage.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
, and founded the existing duo in 1999.
Signed to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Montgomery Gentry released its debut album Tattoos & Scars
Tattoos & Scars
Tattoos & Scars is the first album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry, released in 1999 on Columbia Records Nashville...
that year. They have since recorded five more studio albums: Carrying On
Carrying On
Carrying On is the second album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2001 . Certified gold in the United States, the album produced only two singles: "She Couldn't Change Me" and "Cold One Comin' On", which respectively reached #2 and #23 on the Hot Country Songs charts.-Track...
(2001), My Town
My Town (album)
My Town is the third album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2002 . Certified platinum in the United States, the album produced three consecutive Top Five hits on the Billboard country charts in the title track, "Speed", and "Hell Yeah". It is Montgomery Gentry's...
(2002), You Do Your Thing
You Do Your Thing
You Do Your Thing is the fourth album by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2004 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA...
(2004), Some People Change
Some People Change
Some People Change is an album released in 2006 by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. Certified gold in the United States, the album produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: the title track , "Lucky Man", and "What Do Ya Think About That"...
(2006), and Back When I Knew It All
Back When I Knew It All
Back When I Knew It All is the sixth studio album by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released by Columbia Records Nashville on June 10, 2008 . The album's title track, which is also its lead-off single, became their fourth Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs...
(2008) and a Greatest Hits package. These albums have produced more than twenty chart singles for the duo on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts, including the number 1 hits "If You Ever Stop Loving Me
If You Ever Stop Loving Me
"If You Ever Stop Loving Me" is a song recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. The song was released in February 2004 as the lead-off single to their 2004 album You Do Your Thing, as well as their first Number One single on the country charts. It also peaked at #30 on the U.S....
", "Something to Be Proud Of
Something to Be Proud Of
"Something to Be Proud Of" is the title of a song written by Jeffrey Steele and Chris Wallin, and recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in May 2005 as the fourth and final single from their 2004 album You Do Your Thing...
", "Lucky Man
Lucky Man (Montgomery Gentry song)
"Lucky Man" is a single by American country music group Montgomery Gentry that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and stayed there for two weeks...
", "Back When I Knew It All
Back When I Knew It All (song)
"Back When I Knew It All" is a single by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the lead off single to their sixth studio album, also entitled Back When I Knew It All, which was released on June 10, 2008...
" and "Roll with Me
Roll with Me
"Roll with Me" is the title of a song recorded by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the second single from their 2008 album Back When I Knew It All...
" and ten more songs which reached the top ten. Tattoos & Scars, My Town and You Do Your Thing are all certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.
The duo left Columbia in 2010 and signed with Average Joe's Entertainment
Average Joe's Entertainment
Average Joe's Entertainment Group is an American record label specializing in country music. The label was founded in 2010 by country rap artist Colt Ford and Shannon Houchins...
a year later. Their first release for the label, "Where I Come From", debuted in mid-2011.
History
Gerald Edward "Eddie" Montgomery was born September 30, 1963 in Danville, KentuckyDanville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, and Troy Gentry was born April 5, 1967 in Nicholasville, Kentucky
Nicholasville, Kentucky
Nicholasville is the 11th largest city in state of Kentucky and the county seat of Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 19,680 at the 2000 census...
. When Montgomery was 13, he played drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
in his parents' band, Harold Montgomery and the Country River Express. In 1990, Montgomery founded the band Early Tymz, which included his younger brother, John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
, and Troy Gentry. After Early Tymz broke up, the Montgomery brothers and Gentry briefly performed as Young Country, with John Michael as lead vocalist. John Michael left for a solo career in the early 1990s. Gentry went solo and won the Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
National Talent Contest in 1994, which led to him opening for Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
and Tracy Byrd. Gentry initially wanted to pursue a solo career, but after he was unable to find a record deal, he reunited with Eddie Montgomery to form a duo called Deuce, which played at local nightclubs. The duo later changed its name to Montgomery Gentry, and signed with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1999.
19992000: Tattoos & Scars
Montgomery Gentry released its debut single, "Hillbilly ShoesHillbilly Shoes
"Hillbilly Shoes" is the title of a song recorded by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in February 1999 as their debut single and the lead-off single to their 1999 debut album Tattoos & Scars. It peaked at #13 in the United States, and #7 in Canada...
", in early 1999. It entered the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts two weeks before its scheduled release date, peaking at number 13 on the country charts and 62 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. High radio demand for the single led to the label advancing the release date of the duo's debut album, Tattoos & Scars
Tattoos & Scars
Tattoos & Scars is the first album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry, released in 1999 on Columbia Records Nashville...
, from early May to April 6.
"Lonely and Gone
Lonely and Gone
"Lonely and Gone" is the title of a song recorded by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the second single released from their debut album Tattoos & Scars. It peaked at #5, thus becoming their first top 5 hit. The song was co-written by Bill McCorvey of Pirates of the Mississippi, Dave...
" was the album's second single, peaking at number 5 on the country charts by year's end. Following it was the top 20 "Daddy Won't Sell the Farm
Daddy Won't Sell the Farm
"Daddy Won't Sell the Farm" is the title of a song written by Robin Branda and Steve Fox, and recorded recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in November 1999 as the third single from their debut album Tattoos & Scars...
", which won its co-writer, Canadian country singer Steve Fox
Steve Fox (musician)
Steve Fox is a Canadian singer/songwriter. He was born in Brampton, Ontario and raised in Coquitlam, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver. He then moved to Toronto in the early 1980s to pursue a career in music...
, the 2000 Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) award for Song of the Year. After it, Montgomery Gentry charted the number 31 singles "Self Made Man" and "All Night Long". The latter, which featured guest vocals from Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, was previously the b-side to "Hillbilly Shoes". It was also Daniels' first appearance in the top 40 since "Mister DJ" in 1990. The duo won the Vocal Duo of the Year award at the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
Awards in late 2000, the first time since in eight years that Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
did not win this award. They also won the Top New Vocal Duo or Group award from the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
and the 2000 Favorite New Artist—Country award at the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
. By the end of 2000, Montgomery Gentry charted at number 38 with a cover of Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
's "Merry Christmas from the Family
Merry Christmas from the Family
"Merry Christmas from the Family" is a holiday song written by alternative country artist Robert Earl Keen. It has become extremely popular among the fans within his cult following. The song was first recorded for Keen's 1994 album, Gringo Honeymoon. A live version also appears on his 1996, No....
", itself the b-side to "All Night Long". Tattoos & Scars was certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) in 2001, for shipments of one million copies.
The album received generally positive reviews for the duo's Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
influences. Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave it four stars out of five, calling it "one of the best pop records of the year. Period." and Alanna Nash
Alanna Nash
Alanna Nash is an American journalist and biographer.Nash holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is the author of several acclaimed books...
of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
rated it "B", saying that the album was "testosterone-laden". In comparison, Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
reviewer Jeffrey B. Remz thought that many of the duo's songs lacked distinctiveness, saying that they seemed to be derivative of Daniels and Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
.
20012002: Carrying On
Montgomery Gentry's second album, Carrying OnCarrying On
Carrying On is the second album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2001 . Certified gold in the United States, the album produced only two singles: "She Couldn't Change Me" and "Cold One Comin' On", which respectively reached #2 and #23 on the Hot Country Songs charts.-Track...
, was released in mid-2001. Lead-off single "She Couldn't Change Me
She Couldn't Change Me
"She Couldn't Change Me" is a song written by Gary Nicholson and Chris Knight and recorded by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in February 2001 as the lead-off single from their album Carrying On...
" peaked at number 2 on the country charts and number 37 on the Hot 100, making their first Top 40 entry there. The album's only other single, "Cold One Comin' On", reached number 23 on the country charts. Also included on the album was a cover of Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
' "I'm a Ramblin' Man
I'm a Ramblin' Man
"I'm a Ramblin' Man" is the title of a song written by Ray Pennington and performed by Waylon Jennings. "I'm a Ramblin' Man" would be Waylon Jennings' second number one on the country chart...
". In March 2002, they charted at number 45 with the track "Didn't I", a cut from the soundtrack to the film We Were Soldiers
We Were Soldiers
We Were Soldiers is a 2002 American war film that dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965. The film was directed by Randall Wallace and stars Mel Gibson. It is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young by Lieutenant General Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L...
which was never officially released as a single. The duo promoted the album both on a headline tour sponsored by Jim Beam, and on the Brooks & Dunn Neon Circus & Wild West Tour, which included Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
and Keith Urban
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
. Later in 2002, they toured with Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
on his No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems tour.
Mike Kraski, then the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Sony Music Nashville
Sony Music Nashville
Sony Music Nashville is the country music branch of Sony Music Entertainment based in Nashville, Tennessee. It comprises of RCA Records Nashville, Columbia Records Nashville, Arista Nashville and BNA Records...
, thought that Carrying On showed an artistic growth over Tattoos & Scars, and the duo itself thought that Carrying On was more "edgy" in comparison. It was less favorably received than its predecessor; William Ruhlmann thought that many of the songs "sound like they're trying to hard to be macho", and Country Standard Times Mike Clark thought that the duo was "playing it safe", although he described the singles favorably. The album was certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies.
20022004: My Town
On August 27, 2002, Montgomery Gentry released My TownMy Town (album)
My Town is the third album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2002 . Certified platinum in the United States, the album produced three consecutive Top Five hits on the Billboard country charts in the title track, "Speed", and "Hell Yeah". It is Montgomery Gentry's...
. After working with producer Joe Scaife on their first two albums, they switched to Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey is an American record producer and music business executive, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly an executive vice president and chief creative officer for Sony Music, he later formed a partnership with artist manager Scott Siman...
. Chancey allowed them to pick different session musicians than typically used on mainstream country albums, such as Chuck Leavell
Chuck Leavell
Chuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
and Johnny Neel
Johnny Neel
Johnny Neel is an American vocalist, songwriter, and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and session work for the Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, and Dickey Betts....
of The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, whose "Good Clean Fun" was covered on it. They also chose songs co-written by songwriters who had not appeared on their previous albums, including Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey LeVasseur is an American country music singer and songwriter, more commonly known by the name Jeffrey Steele...
and Rivers Rutherford
Rivers Rutherford
Rivers Rutherford is an American country music songwriter. Active since the mid-1990s as a songwriter, he has penned several Number One country hits, including "Ain't Nothing 'bout You" by Brooks & Dunn, which was the Number One country song of 2001 according to Billboard...
. The album produced three top five singles, all co-written by Steele: the title track and "Speed
Speed (Montgomery Gentry song)
"Speed" is a single by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was the second single from their 2002 album My Town. The title from the cover of this single borrows its font from Speed Racer."She Couldn't Change Me" was included as a B-side....
" both at number 5, and "Hell Yeah" at number 4. Along with Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
and Andy Griggs
Andy Griggs
Andrew Tyler "Andy" Griggs is an American country music artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records Nashville and a fourth for Montage Music Group...
, they contributed a guest appearance on Tracy Byrd's mid-2003 single "The Truth About Men
The Truth About Men (song)
"The Truth About Men" is the title of a song written by Paul Overstreet, Rory Lee Feek and Tim Johnson, and recorded by American country music singer Tracy Byrd. It is the title track to, and first single from, his 2003 album The Truth About Men. The song peaked at number thirteen on the Hot...
", which made the country top 20. In March 2004, My Town became the duo's second platinum-certified album.
Ruhlmann gave the album a generally positive review, saying that it "rocks harder as it goes along". On the same site, Rick Cohoon praised "My Town" for "painting in words and music both the pace of living in a small town", and "Speed" for being "slower and more deliberate than the recklessness the title suggests." On Country Standard Time, Tom Netherland called it "their third and finest release".
20042006: You Do Your Thing and Something to Be Proud Of: The Best Of 19992005
You Do Your ThingYou Do Your Thing
You Do Your Thing is the fourth album by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2004 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA...
, their fourth album, was issued in mid-2004. It was led off by "If You Ever Stop Loving Me
If You Ever Stop Loving Me
"If You Ever Stop Loving Me" is a song recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. The song was released in February 2004 as the lead-off single to their 2004 album You Do Your Thing, as well as their first Number One single on the country charts. It also peaked at #30 on the U.S....
", which in mid-2004 became Montgomery Gentry's first number 1 single on the country charts. It was also their biggest hit on the Hot 100, reaching number 30 there. Following it, the album's title track went to number 22 on the country charts, while "Gone
Gone (Montgomery Gentry song)
"Gone" is the title of a song written by Bob DiPiero and Jeffrey Steele, and recorded by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in November 2004 as the third single from the duo's album You Do Your Thing, reaching a peak of #3 on the U.S. country charts, #53 on the...
" peaked at number 3 and "Something to Be Proud Of
Something to Be Proud Of
"Something to Be Proud Of" is the title of a song written by Jeffrey Steele and Chris Wallin, and recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in May 2005 as the fourth and final single from their 2004 album You Do Your Thing...
" became their second number-one single. "Gone" was also the most-played single by a country music duo in 2005, and it received a digital gold certification for 500,000 certified music download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
s. You Do Your Thing became their third platinum-selling album. Scaife, Chancey, Rutherford, Steele and Mark Wright split production duties on the album. Steele also co-wrote "Gone" and "Something to Be Proud Of" with Bob DiPiero
Bob DiPiero
Bob DiPiero is an American country music songwriter. He has written 15. U.S. Number 1 hits and countless top 20 hits for the likes of Tim McGraw, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Shenandoah, Neal McCoy, Highway 101, Restless Heart, Ricochet, John Anderson, Montgomery...
and Chris Wallin, respectively, while Rutherford and DiPiero co-wrote "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" with Tom Shapiro
Tom Shapiro
Tom Shapiro is an American songwriter and occasional record producer, known primarily for his work in country music. To date, he holds four Country Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated, as well as the Songwriter of the Decade award from the Nashville Songwriters...
. In October 2005, You Do Your Thing became the duo's third platinum album. Rick Bell gave the album a favorable review on Country Standard Time, saying that the duo "unleash [Southern rock] in a torrent of brash lyrics, wailing guitars and pounding percussion." Jurek wrote that it "is easily the finest outing by modern country's most relevant duo; it rocks, it's soulful, and it's memorable." Montgomery Gentry toured in late 2004-early 2005 with Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
in support of the album.
"Something to Be Proud Of" also served as the title track to Montgomery Gentry's first greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album, Something to Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005
Something to Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005
Something To Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005 is a compilation album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2005 . The track "She Don't Tell Me To" was newly recorded for this album, and was released as a single...
. Also included on this disc were "Didn't I", "Merry Christmas from the Family" and the new song "She Don't Tell Me To
She Don't Tell Me To
"She Don't Tell Me To" is a single by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was the only single from their 2005 greatest hits album Something to Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005.-Music video:...
" (also co-written by Rutherford, Shapiro and DiPiero), which peaked at number 5 on the country charts in early 2006. Something to Be Proud Of was certified gold.
20062007: Some People Change
Some People ChangeSome People Change
Some People Change is an album released in 2006 by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. Certified gold in the United States, the album produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: the title track , "Lucky Man", and "What Do Ya Think About That"...
was the title of Montgomery Gentry's fifth album, which was released in 2006 under the production of Rutherford and Wright. Its title track
Some People Change (song)
"Some People Change" is the title of a song written by Neil Thrasher, Jason Sellers, and Michael Dulaney. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney for his 2004 album When the Sun Goes Down. It was then recorded by Canadian country music artist George Canyon for his...
, co-written by Neil Thrasher
Neil Thrasher
Joe Neil Thrasher, Jr. is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1995 and 1997, he and Kelly Shiver comprised the duo Thrasher Shiver, which recorded a studio album for Asylum Records in 1996 and charted two singles on the Billboard country charts in early 1997...
, Jason Sellers
Jason Sellers
Jason Sellers is an American country music artist. After several years of touring the United States in his family's band, Sellers joined the road band of Ricky Skaggs. By 1997, he was signed to a recording contract with BNA Records, for whom he recorded two studio albums: 1997's I'm Your Man and...
and Michael Dulaney, was previously recorded by Kenny Chesney on his 2004 album When the Sun Goes Down. Gentry told the Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
that Some People Change "is based more on family issues, the love of the family, the love of neighbors, relationships", and said that the title track "is about being able to challenge your inner demons and the things that can bring people down, alcoholism, or hatred or racism." Montgomery Gentry's version of the song peaked at number 7, followed by the two-week number 1 hit "Lucky Man
Lucky Man (Montgomery Gentry song)
"Lucky Man" is a single by American country music group Montgomery Gentry that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and stayed there for two weeks...
" and the number 3 "What Do Ya Think About That
What Do Ya Think About That
"What Do Ya Think About That" is a single by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the third single released from their 2007 album...
". In 2008, "Lucky Man" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded from 1970 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1970 the award was known as Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group...
, the duo's first nomination.
Some People Change was Montgomery Gentry's lowest-selling album at the time. Joe Galante, president of Sony Music Nashville, thought that the album's poor sales were because it "strayed musically from what the base had been. They have an edge to their sound, and I think we got a little too soft." It was also met with mixed reception. Jurek said "It's brave and it looks for commonality, not to define people but to celebrate them." Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
gave a mixed review, saying that it was more "touchy-feely" than You Do Your Thing, and that "no one works a snarling country chorus like Montgomery Gentry". Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "C", criticizing the duo for the contradictory viewpoints of personal changes on the title track versus the "defense of the American right to piss off your neighbors" in "What Do Ya Think About That". Jurek comparatively called it a "masterpiece" and said that it was "a new pinnacle for the duo", calling the title track "one of those tunes that defines something that lies at the heart of what is good about Americans."
20082009: Back When I Knew It All
In 2008, the duo went to the Ardent studios in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to record their sixth album, Back When I Knew It All
Back When I Knew It All
Back When I Knew It All is the sixth studio album by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released by Columbia Records Nashville on June 10, 2008 . The album's title track, which is also its lead-off single, became their fourth Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs...
. Once again, they worked with Blake Chancey as producer. This album's title track
Back When I Knew It All (song)
"Back When I Knew It All" is a single by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the lead off single to their sixth studio album, also entitled Back When I Knew It All, which was released on June 10, 2008...
, co-written by Trent Willmon
Trent Willmon
Trent Willmon is an American country music artist. Active since 1998 as a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, Willmon was signed to Columbia Records in 2004. He released two albums for the label and charted six singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts before exiting Columbia in 2006...
, was the duo's fastest-climbing single. Both it and followup "Roll with Me
Roll with Me
"Roll with Me" is the title of a song recorded by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the second single from their 2008 album Back When I Knew It All...
", which included a backing vocal from Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting is the stage name of American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik. He is best known for his piano-based rock, such as the Top 40 songs "Superman " , "100 Years" , and "The Riddle" .-Early years:...
, went to number 1. "One in Every Crowd
One in Every Crowd
"One in Every Crowd" is a song recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the third single released from their sixth studio album, Back When I Knew It All...
", co-written by Montgomery with Kim Tribble and former Trick Pony
Trick Pony
Trick Pony was an American country music group. It was formed in 1996 by Keith Burns , Ira Dean , and Heidi Newfield . The group recorded three studio albums: Trick Pony, On a Mission and R.I.D.E., released in 2001, 2002 and 2005, respectively...
bassist Ira Dean, was issued in January 2009 as the third single. By the middle of the year, this song peaked at number 5. The fourth single, the number 23 "Long Line of Losers
Long Line of Losers
"Long Line of Losers" is a song recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It is the fourth single released from their sixth studio album, Back When I Knew It All. Kevin Fowler who co-wrote this song also recorded this song on his 2007 album Bring It On, also released his version as...
", was co-written and previously recorded by Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler is an American Texas Country artist. He has released five studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign "...
. Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, with whom Montgomery Gentry toured in mid-2008, contributed a guest vocal on the Terri Clark
Terri Clark
Terri Lynn Sauson , known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that year...
co-write "I Pick My Parties", and Lillie Mae Rische of Jypsi
Jypsi
Jypsi is an American country music group composed of four siblings, all with the surname Rische: Amber-Dawn , Frank , Lillie Mae , and Scarlett . Signed to Arista Nashville in 2007, the group has released three singles, including "I Don't Love You Like That", which reached #38 on the U.S. country...
made an appearance on "God Knows Who I Am". Thom Jurek wrote of this album, "The hardcore fans will love it, but this isn't the album that will win over many new ones."
On May 26, 2009, Montgomery Gentry was formally invited by Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
to become members of the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
. Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart
John Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
and Little Jimmy Dickens
Little Jimmy Dickens
James Cecil Dickens , better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, is an American country music singer famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" , and his rhinestone-studded outfits...
inducted them on June 23. Also in May 2009, Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 and its first store was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company is now headquartered...
restaurants released an exclusive compilation titled For Our Heroes, which included some of their hits along with "Didn't I" and three other songs which had previously been released only as bonus tracks. The restaurant chain donated a portion of all profits from the album to the Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project
The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to "honor and empower wounded warriors" of the United States Armed Forces...
.
20092011: Hits and More and Rebels on the Run
On November 30, 2009, Montgomery Gentry released the single "Oughta Be More Songs About That". It was to have been included on an album titled Freedom, which was to have included a song that the two wrote with Gary Hannan and Phil O'Donnell titled "Freedom Never Goes Out of Style". The label scrapped Freedom and instead chose to release an extended playExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled Hits and More: Life Beside a Gravel Road, which would have included past hits and three new songs. Its first single, "While You're Still Young", peaked at number 32 in mid-2010. On September 17, 2010, a day before the extended play's slated release, Montgomery Gentry exited the label, and Hits and More was shelved. Both members told Country Weekly
Country Weekly
Country Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
that they decided to leave Columbia because "there were so many people trying to encourage us to do something a little different musically. Some of it worked and some of it didn't."
Montgomery Gentry signed to Average Joe's Entertainment
Average Joe's Entertainment
Average Joe's Entertainment Group is an American record label specializing in country music. The label was founded in 2010 by country rap artist Colt Ford and Shannon Houchins...
, a label co-owned by country rap artist Colt Ford
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American country music artist and former professional golfer. He has released three albums via his own Average Joe's label, and has charted four singles on the Hot Country Songs charts...
, in March 2011. Their first release for the label, "Where I Come From", appears on their seventh album Rebels on the Run
Rebels on the Run
Rebels on the Run is the seventh studio album by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released on October 18, 2011 via Average Joe's Entertainment. Inside one copy of the album was a golden ticket for a custom-made Demented Cycles motorcycle....
, released on October 18. The album was produced by Michael Knox, who also produces for Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldine Williams is an American country music singer, known professionally as Jason Aldean. Since 2005, Aldean has recorded for Broken Bow Records, an independent record label for which he has released four albums and twelve singles...
. Jurek thought that the album was "the most consistent offering" since Some People Change "even if it doesn't quite scale those heights", and Country Weekly
Country Weekly
Country Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
reviewer Jessica Nicholson called it "classic Montgomery Gentry".
Musical styles
Montgomery Gentry's sound is defined by Southern rockSouthern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
influences. Steve Huey of Allmusic wrote that the duo "evokes the sound and spirit of Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, the Marshall Tucker Band
Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
, and Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, painting themselves as rowdy redneck rebels who still hold small-town values." They cite Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
and Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
as primary musical influences. Montgomery and Gentry alternate as lead vocalists, with Gentry often accompanying on acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
. Jurek wrote that "Montgomery's rough hewn baritone and Gentry's almost unreal range and trademark phrasing make something highly original". In his book Country, Richard Carlin describes Montgomery Gentry as "rock[ing] harder than Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
, although their music could be seen as an extension of that successful pair's boot-scootin' sound." He also writes that Gentry sings with a "sweet, high tenor" while Montgomery "complements with an earthy, sometimes raspy, baritone", and notes that the duo has an "energetic stage show and dress".
Many of the duo's mid-tempo songs, such as "My Town", centralize on a theme of rural life. Others, such as "You Do Your Thing" and "Some People Change", have messages of tolerance towards others with differing opinions.
Personal life
On November 27, 2006, Gentry pleaded guilty to a charge of falsely tagging a bear that was killed in a fenced enclosure as if it had been killed in the wild. Under the plea agreement, he agreed to pay a $15,000 fine, give up hunting, fishing and trapping in Minnesota for 5 years, and forfeit both the stuffed bear and the bow used to shoot the animal in 2004. Gentry posted a statement on the duo's website on November 9, 2010, apologizing for his actions.In November 2010, Montgomery told Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. The cancer was successfully removed a month later. The same month, his wife, Tracy, announced her divorce, and served his papers at Eddie Montgomery's Steakhouse, a restaurant he owns in Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,014 at the 2000 census. It is the oldest city in Kentucky.-History:...
. The two had four children and had been married for over 20 years. At first, Montgomery posted to Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
that she divorced him because she did not want to "cope with his illness", which she later denied. Troy Gentry married Angie McClure in late 1999. They have one daughter named Kaylee, born in November 2002; he has an older daughter, Taylor, from a previous marriage.
Awards
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Country Music Association Country Music Association The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre... |
Vocal Duo of the Year | |
| 2000 | American Music Awards American Music Awards -Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC... |
Favorite New Artist — Country | |
| Academy of Country Music Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the... |
Top Vocal Duo | ||
| Top New Vocal Duo or Group | |||
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2001 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2002 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2003 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| Vocal Event of the Year — "The Truth About Men The Truth About Men (song) "The Truth About Men" is the title of a song written by Paul Overstreet, Rory Lee Feek and Tim Johnson, and recorded by American country music singer Tracy Byrd. It is the title track to, and first single from, his 2003 album The Truth About Men. The song peaked at number thirteen on the Hot... " (with Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs Andy Griggs Andrew Tyler "Andy" Griggs is an American country music artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records Nashville and a fourth for Montage Music Group... , and Blake Shelton Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts... ) |
|||
| 2004 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2005 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2006 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2007 | Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | |
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2008 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group — "Lucky Man" | |
| Academy of Country Music | Top Vocal Duo | ||
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year | ||
| 2009 | Academy of Country Music | Album of the Year — Back When I Knew It All | |
| Top Vocal Duo | |||
| Country Music Association | Vocal Duo of the Year |
Albums
- Tattoos & ScarsTattoos & ScarsTattoos & Scars is the first album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry, released in 1999 on Columbia Records Nashville...
(1999) - Carrying OnCarrying OnCarrying On is the second album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2001 . Certified gold in the United States, the album produced only two singles: "She Couldn't Change Me" and "Cold One Comin' On", which respectively reached #2 and #23 on the Hot Country Songs charts.-Track...
(2001) - My TownMy Town (album)My Town is the third album by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2002 . Certified platinum in the United States, the album produced three consecutive Top Five hits on the Billboard country charts in the title track, "Speed", and "Hell Yeah". It is Montgomery Gentry's...
(2002) - You Do Your ThingYou Do Your ThingYou Do Your Thing is the fourth album by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in 2004 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA...
(2004) - Some People ChangeSome People ChangeSome People Change is an album released in 2006 by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. Certified gold in the United States, the album produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: the title track , "Lucky Man", and "What Do Ya Think About That"...
(2006) - Back When I Knew It AllBack When I Knew It AllBack When I Knew It All is the sixth studio album by the American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released by Columbia Records Nashville on June 10, 2008 . The album's title track, which is also its lead-off single, became their fourth Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs...
(2008) - Rebels on the RunRebels on the RunRebels on the Run is the seventh studio album by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released on October 18, 2011 via Average Joe's Entertainment. Inside one copy of the album was a golden ticket for a custom-made Demented Cycles motorcycle....
(2011)