Troy Gentry, 50, half of the award-winning country music duo Montgomery Gentry, has died in a helicopter crash in New Jersey.
The group’s website says Gentry “was tragically killed in a helicopter crash” that occurred around 1 p.m. Friday in Medford, New Jersey.
Montgomery Gentry
The group was supposed to perform Friday at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford. The statement says details of the crash are unknown.
Gentry was born on April 5, 1967 in Lexington, where he met bandmate Eddie Montgomery and formed their award-winning group.
The group’s Facebook page made this announcement:
It is with great sadness that we confirm that Troy Gentry, half of the popular country duo, Montgomery Gentry, was tragically killed in a helicopter crash which took place at approximately 1:00 p.m. today (Friday) in Medford, New Jersey. The duo was scheduled to perform tonight at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford. Troy Gentry was 50 years old.
Details of the crash are unknown.
Troy Gentry’s family wishes to acknowledge all of the kind thoughts and prayers, and asks for privacy at this time.
Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry
The popular group had success on the country charts, scoring five No. 1 hits.
Montgomery Gentry released six studio albums for Columbia Records’ Nashville division: Tattoos & Scars(1999), 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 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.”
Ten more of their songs reached the top 10 on the country charts, including the number 3 hit “Gone”, the most played country song by a duo in 2005. Tattoos & Scars, My Town, and You Do Your Thing are all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1999, they were awarded Favorite New Artist—Country at the American Music Awards. Both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association named them Duo of the Year in 2000, an award for which they have been nominated by both associations in every year since. In 2009, they were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
