Montgomery brothers have deep musical roots
John Michael Montgomery
The Montgomery brothers of country music fame have both made stops in the Oklahoma City area in the past few days.
Eddie Montgomery, 45, and his musical partner Troy Gentry, who together form the duo Montgomery Gentry, closed the concert season at the Zoo Amphitheatre last Friday. Solo singer John Michael Montgomery, 43, stopped today at a Norman Walmart to sign copies of his new album, “Time Flies,” and meet with fans.
I had the chance to talk to the brothers in separate phone interviews and got them chatting about each other and their musical upbringing. Their parents were honky-tonk musicians, and the boys played in the family band from an early age.
John Michael outlined their musical childhood in the song “Brothers Till the End,” which he co-wrote for “Time Flies.”
“I just wanted to write about things the way I grew up and summarize over the last 15 years why I love to do what I love to do. And it’s because I was born and raised in this musical family,” John Michael said.
“My mom played the drums, my dad played the lead guitar and rhythm guitar, and they both sang. We had instruments sitting around the house all the time; I mean, dad used the amplifier that he played a lot of times as a chair, especially when he was picking on it. … We had instruments for furniture a lot of times and we always sat around the house (playing).
“And Eddie and I we just kind of grew up in that environment. To us, for a long time we just thought that everybody lived like that.
“So it’s kind of a unique situation, and of course, for him to come along a few years later and get his record deal with Troy and to have success also is very unique. You don’t really have two siblings that have been able to have the success that me and him both have had like we’ve had it. So this song kind of points that whole thing out. We’ve played music our whole life: in the family band, on the weekends, five days a week as a house band and now we’re doing it on the bigger stage.”
He said Eddie, whom he calls Edrow and their dad used to call Edweirdo, took up the drums when they were kids, and used to emulate the muppet Animal.
“He would beat ‘em as long and as loud as he could, even during a ballad. … When it comes to just wanting to hang around somebody and have some fun, Eddie’s that person.”
From left, Troy Gentry and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry
For Eddie’s part, he calls John Michael “probably one of the best ballad country singers there is out there to be had, if not the best.” He said he’s glad to see his younger brother back with a new album after years of struggling with health issues, including surgeries, anxiety attacks and problems with prescription drugs and alcohol.
“I’m always glad to see John-boy out there. Hopefully, we can hook up and do some more shows together,” he said.
The Montgomery brothers and Gentry started playing together first in the band Early Tymz and then as Young Country, and when John Michael Montgomery got a record deal as a solo artist, Gentry and the elder Montgomery soon started playing as a duo.
It was clear from the zoo show that Eddie Montgomery and Gentry also have a brotherly relationship. They were continually ribbing each other and sharing wide, knowing grins as they played their mix of raucous party songs and patriotic anthems.
“We’ve just known each other out of high school and been playing together for a long time. You know, just real good friends; we’ve actually known each other longer than we’ve known our wives, so it’s pretty wild,” Eddie said of Gentry.
“And we just have a lot of fun.”
-BAM
Related posts:
- Montgomery brothers coming to Oklahoma City metro area
- Montgomery Gentry not acting with their good-time show
- Montgomery Gentry appearing today at Oklahoma City Dillard’s
- Montgomery Gentry to visit Oklahoma City Dillard’s
- Montgomery Gentry walks in Memphis for latest album
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[...] Montgomery, from the duo Montgomery Gentry, both made stops in the Oklahoma City area recently and BAM’s Blog had the chance to ask them questions about each other. (via [...]