In a recent interview with Storme Warren for Sirius XM's The Highway, Eddie Montgomery candidly discussed the decision to tour again as Montgomery Gentry after the September passing of band mate Troy Gentry.
According to Montgomery, it reflects a mutual, longstanding agreement between two close friends to keep the music alive. "Each of us said we want the other to keep going and keep the Montgomery Gentry brand, man, and keep it rocking," he says of a past discussion with Gentry.
Despite the emotions surrounding the Montgomery Gentry crew getting back together without half of the group's nucleus, Montgomery adds that rehearsals have the team ready to head out on the road. "I think T-Roy would be kicking us in our rear end hard if we wouldn't," he explains.
Gentry died on Sept. 8, 2017 in a helicopter crash, just two days after the duo wrapped up its last album together, Here's To You. The record arrives Feb. 2, with Montgomery touring throughout the year on new songs and hits his best friend helped make famous over the last 20 years.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Montgomery Gentry Songs, Ranked
The interview nearly took a sad turn when Warren asked Montgomery to paint a picture of Gentry for those who never met him. Montgomery shared memories not of a tragic figure, but of a practical joker willing to lighten the mood on the road.
"He always kept this big, wooden spoon, and he kept it on the road all of the time because he was always stirring up stuff," Montgomery says. "Anybody that knew him knew that. He was just always a prankster, pulling jokes, you know, doing something. And he really loved to live life, man, and that's what it was all about."
