#330 Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry on Troy Gentry’s Death + People Saying They’d Never Win CMA Duo of the Year + Playing Drums for His Brother John Michael Montgomery

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Speaker 1: Alright, another Bobby cast. It's the first time we've ever had brothers in two weeks in a row. Maybe the first time I've had brothers, I mean brothers Osborne at the same time, but brothers that weren't in a group together. Can you think of any other siblings. There's only siblings. They can think of Eddie Montgomery from Montgomery Gentry. So episode three thirty, which by the way, massive in the two thousand's let Me roll through some songs. My Town from two thousand two is a clip of that song something to be Proud Of from two thousand five. Hell yeah, yeah, right, I got a bunch of number ones and we get into that. But just an interesting story. You know, Montgomery Gentry began playing in the nineties as part of two different bands. But John Michael Montgomery who was on last week, played with Eddie a lot. They grew they were brothers. They played the family band. So if you heard John Michael last week, this is definitely a different story, mostly because it's about Montgomery Gentry, but they you know, there's some crossovers. Uh, we do talk about the death of Troy, you know, which he hasn't done a lot, and we get into that in a little bit, um, but just really enjoyed talking with them. You know, at the end, he was like, hey, like come up, hang out. Let me know. I don't know. I feel like he'd u he beat me up. I referenced a little bit. They were a large duo. Is a very intense presence he does. He walks in the boots and everything. I forgot it was my house. Actually, whatever you need, sir, I'll do whatever you need. But really enjoyed this and we just thought it would would be cool if we did John Michael Montgomery boom and then Eddie Montgomery who got famous was very successful without John Michael Montgomery, like they did it separately, but two brothers that did it thought it was pretty cool. All right, So enjoy this episode and I'll ask again, especially on Spotify because it's new where you can now review things. If you can review it on Spotify, it now shows it on the front page. So if you don't mind writing something nice, even if you don't think it's a good podcast, if you don't mind writing it's a good podcast, we would like that because it actually does help us. All right, good, good, all right, here's episode three thirty with Eddie Montgomery from Montgomery Gentry. You know when I walk back here, And first of all, let me say I am a massive fan of two things. One you two the fact that you were here early. My guy, you want to win me over like and you're not trying to win me over. But I just you know, I think there's a generational thing where artists nowadays they may not show up, not even on time. And you know, my my dad was always he'd be on our bud about that. Man, you know, you've been better be on time. Well, I didn't get the full disclosure. Two, and we'll get to this in a bit, but your brother was here yesterday, day before yesterday. Yeah, And so I'm I'm I'm always curious as to how this same truth lines up the same or different, you know, because it definitely wasn't talking any any nonsense about you. But his version of the story is very interesting to me, especially about you two and your dynamic. And and you don't know what he said, which is great. I feel like I'm a I'm a cop and I got you in two different rooms or a question at the same time without you knowing what each other is saying. But we'll get We'll get to all that later on. So uh, let's just start with you have released. By the way, I saw you on New Year's e playing I saw you on yeah on Fox News. You were playing New Year's Eve and so and you're doing music wild damn tamble. It was just now. Oh yeah, I mean I was over at the park we were doing the show on CBS, and the city was like, okay, well, we have to be COVID safe. We're only gonna allow twenty thousand people standing right by each other and spitting each other's mouth rather than fifty. And it's like, well, that's not really like I get it, but people were. It was. They were going berserk down there. Oh it was. It was unreal, man. It was. If there was a ask I've never seen one, Well yeah there were. There were no mats. Let's not let's not kid ourselves. I've seen a lot of other things. What was Nashville like whenever you moved here though, because we're talking about Broadway and you're talking about downtown, But what was that area like whenever you came here in the nineties or later. I can tell you, of course, what I still live in Kentucky. So what, You're still in Kentucky too, Yeah, I'm still in Kentucky. To man, John, you just don't leave you. I want to live about fifteen minutes from each other, so I don't know why, but you know it's uh we can get down here in about two and a half three hours. So but when we first started coming downtown, it was all peak shows. I remember the first time we come down here. Remember Twitsi's being open and we was gonna come down here and just blow the doors off everything. And I think we were about seventeen, and uh, we come down first hit downtown and it was I remember there was somebody if I remember right to somebody that got stabbed in a street or something. And so we went to the Southern. We went to Thanks Murphy's Borrow Road. That's where all the clubs were, and I remember going in and on. Never get the guy's name. One guy's name was Sid Hutchon and played from Earl Haggard. And one of the guys was keyboard player and he played with Brian Milsa. And when we heard that man play, we need to go back home and work. So even there they were great. Oh, it was yeah, it was. But you tell me about what a peep show like. I I've never been to U. I don't know what the peep show is except I feel like I'm going to see naked body parts. Well it's uh, it's all just like that, you know, that's it, and then you have to pay more to see it. That's that's what I've heard anyway. Yeah, yeah, of course. Obviously say so the ball on Broadway in Nashville. Now for those and obviously most people listening to this um don't live in Nashville. But you know, there's a big street and there's bars loaded on all sides. It's one to the next, all built into each other basically, and they're all floors, they're all yes, and there are people everywhere all the time. Thursday, Friday, Sat Day night it's just people NonStop. But back in the day on a Friday Saturday night was it packed. And if it was packed, it was it just people going to the peep shows. That's that's the worst crowd than now. I mean, there was there was clubs down there, but I remember it was it was pretty rough. I mean it was rough down there. I mean you had to you had to watch yourself. So you didn't go down there to play a bunch of music. Then that wasn't the man. I'll tell you what it was back man, it was you know because you always we are heard about it growing up. You go down Broadway too season you know, Uh what was it? Hank Snow and uh you know you had h oh h mid night jamboree uh and all this stuff down there. But yeah, it was the time we got there eighteen years old. Uh, I reckoned that time and the city had started changing in And where would you guys play then? As guys that were just coming to experience it a little bit to see if you could, you know, kind of cut your teeth here. Where would you play? Where would you try to get into play at all? Uh? Well, you just wanted somebody to see it, you know, and think about the funny what funny thing about it is they found us up in Lexington. And another great thing after talking to you know, the great like Charlie Daniels and stuff. And I remember all the artists when we talked to him would come into club uh to see us that they come to Lexington to play because you get paid down here in Nashville. You didn't get vaid. Is it because there are so many people and because there are so many people would do it cheaper? Ah? Yeah, I think I don't think anybody hardly got paid down here. Just they come to Harry Record and then they go play somewhere else to try to make money. And so you guys, and this I don't even want to tell you. The story that your brother talked is probably the same exact story. But I will say that he said you guys were playing, that you were playing together, you know, as basically brother me and John Boy. We started, you know, always made a joke about it. My mom was a drummer, my dad was a guitar player. And the bartenders were babysitters. And we started at eight years old. We were roadies. Man carried in and I mean, I mean there's some clubs you walk in. I asked you if you had a gun, if it didn't even give you one, I mean, I was serious. I mean, I reckon a Southern round. It's probably one of the roughest ones we played. Where was that in Kentucky? Is in Kentucky? We've seen a god get taken out there, taken out. You gotta help me here it killed. Oh yeah, yeah, wow, because like a disrespect and then somebody shoots. You know, you know, most all of your honky tonk clothes back then, I wouldn't like they were now. You know you might, uh, there be pool tables in there, and there was a lot more men. There was two women, and so you know at the end of the night with all the drinks. Look out. You ever see one of those brawls where people are smacking sticks overheads and you want to ask you can ask John Bill about this, uh, And I mean these dudes fall through the bar all the way upside and then when one would follow up and get back up and they fight again. And then at the end and went in and go to drink a bought each other drink. Yeah we are yeah, me and John Boy. We was playing clubs way before we're supposed to get in them. So but there wouldn't really that twenty one long. It was okay, you know, if you knew somebody, you know, that's the main thing as all who you knew back then. So as a kid, you have two parents that love music and are playing music. Yeah, we said, I mean actually when you come in our house, Uh, we didn't really have furniture in our living room. We had music equipment. You come in and said on the guitar amp or drum throne, and I'm like that, Wow, it's almost like a studio, except you weren't recording. It was just it's just practice and rehearsing and partying. Wow. And your parents were they in your mind? Did they want to be full time country music stars or music stars? My dad did. He was really really wanted it. And uh, you know, and I tell you, I wish you could have lived seen everything. But you know, I remember, man, we used to move around so much. I mean that's why I reckon. Uh yeah, we kind of quitch a weight at school because we was going to Honkey talks. We knew what we was gonna do. I mean, me and John Boyden was like, this is what we want to do. And plus we just moved around so much. I remember one time, I think Dad and we had lived one place about six months or a year, and he was probably six months behind on rent. And that was a hunt. I think it's a hunt twenty five dollars a month or something. But yeah, we lived just anywhere as long as we get to play music. Man, it was great. And we've seen a lot of we've seen a lot of stuff go down. Man, we probably shouldn't have seen. But do you think that you know your your love, your passion for music, was because it was kind of in the inside of you, or do you think it's because you really wanted to impress or bond with your father? You know what, when you ain't got no money, man, you gotta have something. And I won't tell you what. You know, my dad always told us, man, he said, you know when we called me were old. You know, music is the worst drug in the world because there ain't no cure for it. And that's that's the damn truth. Man. Once it gets in your blood, I mean, that's just it. That's what you want to do. And you know, it all depends on how hard you want to work at it, you know, is what you do. It's a it's not an easy gig, man, and you gotta give up a lot uh to try to get there. And uh, but you know what, I'll tell you what I ain't nobody had no more damn fun enough. Hey, I ain't hear you that right now? And I and I probably uh probably shouldn't be here today. I'm gonna be honest, but with everything I've been through, but we going then, John Boyd both What were you drawn to as a kid musically? Was it did you got because he you know you played some drums early on? Uh? I feel like just by reading your story just generally you've done a little bit of everything musically well as a kid. What were you drawing to to play? And and were you always the guy? Were you a singer? Where you got at singing immediately? Uh? Yeah, I was singing. That was the first time I was on stage, just playing rooms at four years old. And it was actually uh at the theater. Uh. And I think it's a Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lewis and uh Loretta and I forgot all the other acts that played there now thinks they said it was like the worst gig they've ever played. They've done a thing on it, I think from the opera or something or I can't remember, but somebody who was telling now and I read about it, and I was like when my dad played there all the time he was at actually like to open the band and a long times back in them days, you know, you didn't have all the production or whatever. You had one artist show up might be George, it might be whoever, and they would show up in the house. Bam. I had to be the backup band, learn the music. So you're playing drums at four and singing I want to be I want to be the front guy. Okay, so you did. That was my question, like did you always want to be the guy? If I want to be the front guy, we just never could afford it. So I had the front from the drums. So I had a microphone on alarm. So I learned to play drums and singing your Phil Collins basically and also singing at the same Phil Collin, you know, but I wanted to be up front. I never did like playing the drums, but playing music and John Boy Hill. We lived in our cars and everything else, man, you know, trying to make it and uh hell at uh you know, I just kept playing drums. When we played five nights a week, I know, that's what we want to do. You know. We wanted to play five, six, seven, ete every how many nights we could get two shows a day whatever, you know, that's what we That's what we did. And and I think being on the poor end way I kind of think it was. It was a thing man that people listen to us, you know, and you got a little respect. And I love the music, you know, and I love what it's saying. And you know, you you could, I don't know, we could tell our story through it. Remember hell, John Boy having a little old escort car, piece of junk man. But I'll tell you what. He got us where it did until it blew up here when we was trying to get to a gig man, and we would go through the little trees and stuff and pick out. A matter of fact, John Boy wrote a song called a few cents short uh getting change out of that scort for blue up. I'd never get that it blew up going to a gig. We always called our cars because we want you know, we plaid three dollars would a high dollar car, you know what I mean. I ain't lying. We had a seventy three yellow Pinto we called the pot though well, I mean we put drums on top of it. We didn't care, man, you know, as long as we could get to the gig to play music, because that's what it was all about. For a while, you t Roy John, you guys played as a you're a band like you? And then eventually I was the third man down on the totem boat. Where are you at the time? Was it? Why? Well? Hell look at him? Hell go back and with the pictures him, I'm poor, I'm pretty bow was there? But was I was an ugly boy. It's so funny because all the women always wanted to hang towards John Boy, you know on t Roy John Boys singing the love songs and stuff like that. So I had a big mouth and routing and and out front, out front of the show. I'd start start to sit out, and then I'd bring John Boy up, you know. And uh, but you know, all the guys wanted to hang with me, and all the women want to hang with them. But you know what's cool with me? Hell? So does does John Michael moved down first without you? Or do you guys come together when it's time to make the move. Well, here's the way it was. I was playing drums. Of course, t Roy's dad opened up the grape Vine, which is a bar, so he went over to work for his dad. I looked at John Boy, and I looked at me. I love to sing, but I'm gonna tell you what he was at Bigger Round had Dimple's good God of Mighty as deep as you can see, blue eyes, and I mean, it don't take no damn dummy man to look and go like we got four of us in the room, and I once there's a hundred women going straight to you. You know, this is the guy we need to push, even though it's my brother. So but and I knew that I wanted to do my own thing. I wanted to do. You know, when I first somebody called me, I was playing the drums John Boy he had been signed to Atlantic, and Somebody's like, well, now you John Boy's brother, the drummer. And that's when I went to my brother and I said what I said. You know, I like the more outline. I think it's why our band was so good too, because I like doing a lot of the outlaw stuff, and John Boy done the love stuff, and so it just kind of we had a really rounded band. And you know, plus Troy. So John Michael's down here and he's doing his thing. And why did you and Troy decide to do it together rather than you individually? You know, why don't you guys? What what was it about the duo that I think this can be something that that really makes noise and country music, because anytime anybody would call one of us, they'd call the other one. And so we kept using the same band and any time we've done a gig, and it just kept going, hey man, we want both of you all and and uh when they come Sony come up and seeing us, Uh, there's like, you're exactly what we're hunting for. Guys, of course we would. I was smoking on stage and drinking. You know, let's just we's just being us, you know. And I'm sure you can ask some of the Sony exists. They'll they'll tell you. So I remember, yeah, there's a lot of stories, but and we may get to those in a second. I just I'm just so curious about, you know, the genesis of and then I'm always curious about the name. And obviously I know why you're named Mikey Gentry and that's both your last names. Was there ever a discussion like, hey, let's let's name our band like an entity that doesn't involve our names. Well, to be honest, this is hell. This went down. We had a shirta and I still got the shirt. Actually, somebody broke to me we were called deuce and Um we come down and um president of Sony said, always you all got changed names. Said it sounds too much like douche and says, I can't have that. That's pretty funny. I thought it sounded like I take a deucee like said, but yes, that's a good, good, good idea if I had to change it, so son to think of a name. So we just kept going around, and we were hitting all the bars downtown, and we were going every there were wilder than hell, and uh, every time they come in, we'd come on and walk in anywhere. We walked in and go Actually, me and T was always together, and he's like, here comes in mcgomery, gentry boys. Here comes in mcgommery, gentry boys. Finally, just the name just kind of stuck. I'll never forget though. The first thing when we went in and signed the contract and all that stuff, and this is when, uh, this is when you know it becomes a business. We sit down and the desk signed the papers and uh we had moonshine, was drink moonshine. He's like, all right, boys, yea, already you're happy we're on yeah, yeah, and He's like, well, just remember this, You're a product, and when a product quit selling, I won't need you no more. We sle going, oh wow, man, what a happy day. Was there ever a debate on whose name went first or just because people were calling you Montgomery Gentry you know, I reckon there might have been, you know, but we was happy to be signed, man, and we was worried about getting the songs and writing songs and all this stuff. So both of you guys involved in a lot of the writing. Uh, well I did more than Troy did. Uh. Troy kind of left it up me truy He t Roy always loved the business part man of it, and uh I kind of done more of the music and set list and stuff like that and arrangements. Uh until we got you know, so busy that we was being gone and we had to get an actual band leader and stuff to help us. But yeah, man, that the uh you know, it's passionate. I love it more than anything, and I you know, uh, I can tell you right now. My wife or my smoking hot wife by the way, Uh, she'll tell me right now after I get home back two or three weeks. She's like, you need to tell that her said, you need to get back on the road because I do. I miss it, man, uh uh miss hanging out there with the guys. And it's uh, I don't know, it's just your space, you know, did you guys have to kind of find your places and well us call it the band. Now it's just YouTube, but like your your your places in the band when you start to record for somebody else. I meaning, was there ever a all right, you do this, I'll do this, or was it already all predetermined because of all the time you'd spent together. That's it. It was all pretty. And we always knew, man, what we've done in the songs. And I would actually take songs to t Roy and you're like, man, this is you right here, because you know, I said, I'm not gonna sing gonna love song and I ain't gonna ever write one, which on this new CD I did, but um, it just comes. I don't know how we would find the songs. And he would always, man, be great at a part of it, and that worked for me to part of it and when it come together and I reckon that's why people wired this morning. Both of us is just one of us. They didn't want the one without the other. It's also wild how big you guys are and together it's like a wrestling tag team. That's always what you were so intimidating physically. We've done that too. Yeah, you guys are wrestled. Yeah, where the heck did you guys brestl We've done done a video for t n A And then a matter of fact, I just uh Matt Jones close front of mine. Oh yeah, I just uh love Matt to death man, and uh I went up and done of course he owns. Uh yeah, Ohio Valley Wrestling o w oh yeah. And so I went up there and here about a couple months ago, and uh you got in the room. Yeah, sure, I would be hurting from I had to do a body slam and a big elbow drop. Baby, you slammed somebody and then dropped the oilbow on. Oh hell yeah. How long will you still we after that? Huh? Because oh well, I'm sort of thinking about it. Yeah, you know, to you it's probably the next day thing. But at the moment, man, it's just you're just you're king of the world. Were you're a big wrestling guy's a kid? Oh hell yeah? Man? Hell me and John Boys wrestle all the time we had we always had everything. My favorite movie of course, all my kids always done the gas Chamber. Enough say it. I was a big figure for a guy I love. Once I figured out the figure four from Ric Flair, and your sister I was. I was doing well. I was doing every move on. I would see it and then I would practice on her because she was like four years younger than I was. But you grew up in the South, and I go up in Arkansas, on a very rural town in Arkansas. Like wrestling was a huge part of Oh my God, Jerry Lawler, the King Lawler, Handsome Jimmy Value is probably still my favorite. Shut up, you know, but I love this stuff. How big, how big old boy are you? How tall are you six too? And at your probably six three six three anything? I mean, you feel bigger than six too right now? And you got a hat too, to be fair, you also wearned the big hat, so that's another couple of inches. The ball they called it the ball, actually uh, only one horse makes it for him. Man, it's called the ball, the big gass hat. It's called tattoos and scars after my After our first CD when did you start to develop the look that everyone knows, Like when I picture you, it's like you look now with the pat and the glasses and you know the jacket. When when did this look come about? Was it when you had money? Or do you have to make it happen cheaper and poorer? Uh? Done it cheaper and poor? But it's sure did help when we got signed. And yeah, uh, you know, I always loved how big Charlie Daniels hat was, but I love the way Whalen's head look and Charlie one Horse come up with it, So you just kind of combined. So yeah, it combined too, man, And it's uh, it's kind of stuck with me. I guess I do want to get to the solo album in a second, but I do want to go back musically and go to the debut single back in Yeah, yeah, back Inns right right. One award here is Hillbilly Shoes, the first single. So when you you know you're you're making this music, was this song just something? Was it naturally the first single to you? Or was there a debate with all the music that you had, like what do we want to lead with? What do you want our image to be. No, we had a big deal over it. We actually come into town and when Sony first scientists, we went in and cut there's four or five sides with a very very very prominent producer, very big, and uh we didn't like it. So we went in told Sony the president had a made mente with all of them and said, uh, he don't get us. Is that because it was too shiny, too slick? Yeah? Uh it was. It wasn't us and the president, Uh, I mean they said flat totises. What was y'all know what y'all done? Said? U? This producers like number one producer in Nashville. He said, man, he just he ain't getting us. And so we went our separate ways and there was a another man, Thank god for him. Uh, Anthony Martin, Joe Scape and Joe Cotton. Um, they've done it and they got it, and so this is who we were. And he was like this needs to come out. And there was at first there was a big fight about it because it was like, um, man, ain't nobody gonna play this? What do you think wasn't being represented initially? And I say too slick, too polished? Like what was missing to you? What was not being represented about Montgomery Gentry that you were like, this is not us because blank the wrongness. It was a wrong's man. You know when I mean, if you go back on the still Whalen album right now, I guarantee you won't be able to hear any old album without some kind of guitar noise or you know, here her fingers on the string sliding. You know. I even though I can't remember which album it is, but I remember listened to the head owns here of do you hear it's on the Wailan album and in here and painted one way and paint it back then they turned it the wrong way. They just let it go, and I mean, you know, and it's it's things like it, man. And I think that's why a lot of people are going back to my son is he's a big album nut man, and he buys them crazy and he goes everywhere to find him. So that song, uh debuts in the top twenty. I believe it was like twelve or thirteen thirteen. So it's Sonny put another single, I'm gonna play some of Lonely and Gone Now in the House of a Lonely and Gone Now. The first song had some success, but this one hits. It's top five song. Now did that just feel like the natural progression, Like we put out a song and that's pretty good. Now the next song needs to do better? And it you had it? I mean, did you start to film Montgomery Gentry really being you know, some real substance in Nashville with the song? Yeah? Uh. And the thing about it was we was getting to know everybody out in radio land because we've done it different. We took a bus and we didn't have. What you've seen with us is what you get. And we told everybody to that and said, you know, we don't care. I mean, we have pts out there man in the morning, drinking whiskey, you know, drinking Jim Bam on the bus and stuff. I mean, you guys were doing the peep shows. What I hear on the bus, what pets would come in to be like people. So but you know, we was just say, hey, man, this is who we are. You know, we're not for everybody, and we know that, but least when you see us, we're telling you the truth and you don't catch no damn whine. The next song, she Couldn't Change Me again a little higher on the chart that I like. That was a number two song. Now that was a number one song. Like, there's something here, let's go, let's talk about it. There's a number one. They changed the charts that week. It was number one and changed that charts and Jamie one o god bla, she I love you Jamie. But they put her because they changed it. But numbers or something, and what was that song she had? Wait, why what do you mean they changed the chart, They changed the chart arms, they changed the chart to change it the way they were doing it. Of course, there was R and R, which was radio and records. You had billboard. It was somewhere in Arizona maybe or something like it. Whatever she had then, but we were number one, and they said they changed the chart. This we can They changed it right back the next week. You mean they went back to the old method. That so for one week they screwed you out of a song. Yeah, it was played like a number. It was a number one, and play like number one. Well, then let's call it a number. Let's call it a you know what the heck, let's call it a number one. But my point is that these songs are moving up right. You got a thirteen. You gotta five, you gotta to one and a half number one. So you're moving up and and and to get to this. So my talent comes out. And if you might playing cliff of this night, this to me might be the song that when I think of you guys, I think of the song. But what's wild? It wasn't a number one song, Like if someone's in name of Montgomery gentry song, I probably go someboding proud of my town like one of those two songs. Did this song? Has it gained so much popularity because of all the places it's been playing since I see our commercials, you know, I see it like, oh, that's the one that that's the one man that knew that we will. Wow, we're doing something okay. Even though it didn't chart as high as the other one, you felt like this song was really just it's one of them. Are Rena you know, Like I don't want to say Rena rock, but I mean that's what. You know. You hear a lot of these songs, man, you know, they don't go number one, but they're bigger than lie. And it's because everybody, everybody there's I don't know anybody that ain't from a small mind town. I don't care if it's outside of l A or New York or whatever their little area. This is my town. Yeah, And so you know that's what they felt like. It's like, oh, they're talking to me, and you know, daddy won't sell the farm stuff like that. I mean, that's a lot of the working class people and go, I get it. And the party is I get it. Who do you feel like Montgomery Gentry even you now, who do you feel like you speak for? Not too but four. I think that the where everybody that loves to live life man, And uh, you know, this is the greatest country in the world. We can say be and dream as big as we want to in this great country. We don't give it enough enough for all of our great American heroes. And I think that's the people that were singing to America that's going like, hey, I got a dream too, and I want to go chase it. And so I think I'd say we were speaking to and the working class because they've seen this is like, well, you know, they ain't hiding nothing to to play great music, but hell they they'll have a drink with us. We've been on their bus, you know, And I think it's just the average day, every day working class, whether you're going to school, whether whatever you want to live life. Do you feel like you appealed to so many people because you look like so many people? Like I said, I'm just everyday dude. Man, I ain't gonna lie about it. You know, I like to drink when I do. Look out its own? But what does that mean? Lookout it's on? There's so many lookout it's on, Like look out it's on. You're gonna give me kisses like you're trying to fight me. What does lookout it's on mean? Do you that means? Uh? Last? Man? Stand it? I guess you know, so you know if you're gonna live, live it right? You know, I never did understand, you know what, I'm probably gonna pissed somebody off on this one, But I never did understand somebody going in, yeah, well I've had two drinks. Well here, let piss me off. I've he had two bottles. Act yeah, and that we're talking, you know, were you able to you know, you're playing these clubs before one, and you're experiencing things that a lot of people don't get to experience until later in life. But what was like the the beer law rule? And how could you be six teen and have a beer? And yeah, and your parents were like, you know, that's my first beer was eight? But did your did your mom and dad know about it? My dad getting my first beer? Okay? And so and I also am a believer of if you're exposed to something early, you don't go crazy on it later. That's right, part exactly right? And do you feel like that was kind of not that you didn't have your fun, but do you feel like because you were having a beer at eight that you didn't acstlutely go bonkers A one? I think it's you hit it red on the head. You know. My old man always say it said, boys, you control it, don't let it control you. And so you know, of course I have had a gym beam sponsor for years. They still make my boots for me. So but yeah, you know I was around it, and you know, and I won't go much further than that, but hell, we was. Uh, it was around a lot of stuff, A lot of stuff. People ever come up to you in a bar like a guy and they're like, oh, the fans A guy from Montgomery gentry. Yeah, you're a big dude. I think I could probably take you all right, fancy singer guy, let's go. People ever come up and giving you a hassle? Uh? You know, maybe used to there a few times in the bar you had punk, but we you know, we never did have. We always bounced ourselves, Me and John Boy and two Roy. We bounced every place we played. Well, yeah, look at you, I mean you get yes. Did you ever bounce yourself though? Outside of music, let's just make a few bucks? Nah, you never did. I was always playing. I mean if we wouldn't, we wouldn't playing a club at night. We were rehearsing somewhere, or we were either going trying to find a musician, or we were seeing who our competition was. We wouldn't play. But most time we was playing. And I mean even it breaks wouldn't go around. Man, I'd take off and go check the bars and talk to owners and you know so uh well, my old man and I I always called me, you know, mouth of the South, So you know I had to go around. I've done a lot of uh b s and I'll call it that way. Something to be out of. I mentioned that earlier massive number one for you guys again, this is a song that speaks to people where I come from. You know, I'm from a small town. Part two, I'm from a small town in Arkansas, And I think a lot of people that grew up where I grew up go like they're talking to me and about me, Like, did this song again you've had at this point, you've had so many songs you've had, uh if you ever stopped loving me gone you have all these massive songs. But did this Do you feel like this took you to a new level again? Oh? Yeah, I mean it's just uh what was it? Just? Part you can't to me? I don't think you can go wrong man, when you're when you're singing about the truth and uh especially singing about America man, and are and all are great people that's here. What was the height? Was there a moment to you at that the height of Montgomery Gentry, massive popularity songs are on the radio, your headlining. Was there a moment where you're like, dang, like this is pretty wild that this has happened. Well, my old man, I was told us man or told me you know, and and John Boy, both of us, but he's like he said, you know, he said, you went all the wards you want to, but said, you've never made it until you remember the opera. And so when Chrder Daniels come up in bad Is just to be a member of the Operator, then uh uh that was pretty uh, that's pretty awesome. And in plus the but you know, of course a Kentucky Music Hall of Fame that was awesome too. So it's been uh, you know, it's stuff because I reckon, you know, to being really honest, I don't think we ever done it, man, John Boy, never done it. Uh to be the stars or that we've just done it because it's we love music and that's you know, it's like your dad. It's a brick layer and you become a brick layer, you know. And it's and we knew that, you know, we knew the Honky talks, and I mean we were playing with dad time I was drum I was a full time drummer at twelve, and John but it was eleven or something playing guitar, and so we already knew all the club owners. So when that when I was making that switch from Dad playing the old style country Hanks Senior and Hanks, Snow and all that. And uh of course Dad was a hell of an entertainer. He always done a grand old lobbry stuff, you know, imitating people. But we knew the bar owners, and then me and John decided to make our own band. When we could start driving. Um, they let us, They let us in the bars, and of course we were playing Bob Cigar Alabama was playing all the new stuff and you know how that goes, man, You know, it's gonna the switches. The captains got the switches. So they started hiring us, you know, when the old man was like, I'm just gonna play weekends from here on out boys, and uh so when he was for sure then and we'd go every once a while, we go back him. He didn't need a band, and he had every gig. We'd go backing. But yeah, I tell you what, man, missing days a lot. I'll tell you what Tim Hunky took, say a lot of them, but a lot of fun and a lot of unique people. You mentioned the opery, which you know, it has been just so such an instrument part of my life with my grandmother, you know, and she raised me for a lot of my life. And we would either watch it on TNN or find a way to listen to it. But but to her that was the biggest thing. So to me it became a thing. Whereas a kid, at first I was like, I don't want to listen to watch this again, but I did, and then it became like a really big part of my life because of my relationship with her. And when she passed away and I moved to town and I started playing the operation, like doing stand up comedy there, and it was the biggest deal to me just to play it because of her, right, and you mentioned how that's such a big deal to you and because of what your dad said, Like, the Opery is where it's at, and I've watched a lot of people be inducted. I produced the TV show there. Now for the Opery like still a big part of my life. And I see people and these different introductions, and people will come off the stage, Garth will come on with someone and go, hey, you're being invited. You know, Dustin Lynch gets invited, like Elsie Ballerini. You mentioned it was Charlie Daniels. What can you remember about that night? Did you know did you have a feeling you were going to be invited that have a clue. I got a story on that. This is funny. So anyway, little Jimmy Dickens love him to death. I think I got plenty of stories on him too. But little Jimmy was out there. Well, they told us he was telling he was telling a couple of jokes, and they told us, said, well, you might have to cut a song because little Jimmy's running late. I'm like, it's fine with us. So we get out there and we get too through two songs. And once we're here and the monitors well, ho ho hold it, hold boys, remember, I like, well, they're cutting me into you cousins. We kept holding boys. We're looking around, we're waiting. We're not seeing nobody, and I don't want this big figure starts walking right down through the middle, lets, you know, blinding us. He's in the dark, and I don't want. Here comes Charlott Daniels out and did you know that's what it was? No that had no clue to He got on stage and told us, I mean, were you just like, why is Charlie walking on stage? Us? Away? Man? I mean that's the one time and I got real real, yeah, both of us got really emotional, man, because you know, it's just something you know, as a kid, I remember sitting in the car when Dad wouldn't playing music. He he he'd be listening to it on the radio. I'd be sitting in the car with him. Of course Dave was half pine or whatever, you know, but anyway, we'd sit there and listen, and Uh, it was just a really big deal, man, you know. So, yeah, that that was that was pretty killer. And so he comes on and goes, hey, I want to bout you guys. To be an official member of the Grand ol Obry, do you you have to play music after you get invited? Right, because you hadn't played it yet, you play, Yeah, we had, we done one more song, and then it was I bet that was I bet that was tough and awesome at the same time. It was. It was man, it was a catch twenty two. It was just unreal. But he was just getting so emotional trying get through the song. You know, when you're singing, if you're getting most of your voice wants to break up a little bit, and you're going like, oh, and hell, you know, I'm I'm thinking about I'm gonna be a member Operay, I'm not thinking about words. What about whenever you actually went and you know, I became a member because it's it's a it's a too prong almost you get invited and then you then there's a night where you get inducted. Marty Stewart. Marty Stewart inducted you man. That's that's royalty right there, both of them and inviting and inducting you guys. So it's just, uh, it's an awesome deal and something you'll never forget. And I'll tell you it's it's unbelievable. And uh, that's why I love my life so much. You know, I'm it's not ain't It's been perfect to me, But it ain't been perfect, you know what I mean? All the stuff it's uh, me and John Bolways been through. I've been through, uh you know, and that's one thing I canna saying. Man, Uh, you know, we're being John Bold. Besides being brothers, were pretty much raised each other and best friends. You know, if one of us had an apple, the other one had an apple, and you guys stayed obviously brothers, did you stay close and like lean on each other at times? Because obviously at still do every day. I mean this is a business, just the creative business, not even just music. But in a world of creation, there are highs and lows. It's just the nature of it. And I'm assuming you guys were there for each other when you were both experiencing different highs and different lows. Uh yeah, man, Uh definitely through man, And we've talked to each other and helped each other through stuff, talk to how we should do this and we shouldn't do that. He has ever done a song together like you do? You know one? Man, that's funny you said that we ain't get it done or finished yet, but uh, it should be done every pretty soon. But well, we've just done Brotherly Love and it's the first time and we've done none one together. Did you ever think about that back in the day, Like we're just trying to keep two different entities. Uh, you know at first one first started being you know that I didn't want nobody knowing. John Boy was my brother is right. Yeah, he asked me, said you want to help anyone? I was like, they don't know. I said, I want to do this on my own. I don't want nobody because I've already seen and heard growing up my whole life about how siblings don't make it you know they try, or a lot of times the kids don't make it, you know, and stuff like that. So uh yeah, I was like, nope, I don't want nothing on this, and you don't want to believe it or not. There's probably still guys out there and radio stuff that don't don't know me and John Boy's brothers. I run into people all the time. Uh there, I'll go like, hold it, you're John Michael mcgrammer's brother, or it's like John Michael's your brother. Yeah, I go, yeah, I go, oh my god, it makes sense now, you know. I mean I had a Eureka moment like that probably ten years ago because I grew up listening to both, but I never put it together until I think someone was just just told me. He's like, hey, you know that. Wait what And then then it's like it's all there because the word Montgomery is in both of them. But you're right, I never associated you tube with each other at all, respected and listen to both of you, but never associated you two as brothers. We never we never even you know, we didn't start doing shows together until here not too long ago, and uh, you know, we always just kind of kept that separated, even though we run around together all the time, you know, only in fifteen minutes we hang out. We hang out the same club together and everything. You and Tiroy won the c m A for Vocal do O the Year in two thousand, um CM and A m A. You want all three of them sweat it? Okay? Do you remember who you beat out? I have the list here, as I said, we'd never win it, really yeah, yeah, and I and you know, and I don't want to talk about anybody, but you know, I mean we were already we said, well we're you know, we're lost because they tell everybody told us going there said you lost, said your Daisy is gonna win it. And that was the first one. Am that first one, and then we went on and c that was your days and everyone well the c m A, Bellamy, Brothers, Brooks and Dunne. Yeah remember Van's coming out spending the microphones? Man, Yeah, I forgot about that. And you were nominated the year before Brooks and doesn't want it. Then the next year you guys want It's like you needed. It's like a wrestling match, back and forth two prominent duos, You and Troy that would have whoop their butts physically. I know them both. I'll tell you that right now. They never want to mess with you guys. It's over. Oh, I'll tell you man. We've we've had our shares stuff with people. But you know it's the only fun. Man. Gotta live, live, gotta learn every day. So I want to talk about the solo record for a second, because this is hey Love wrote up this whole Corona thing, man, and I've been stuck in the garage and hell I wrote a book or help write a children's book, wrote the album. So a lot of this writing happened during the last year and a half or so, just when COVID hit. Whenever you put out a solo record, I'm imagining though, that it's a is it a full shift to you? Because it's got to be so comfortable to have your partner with you forever and he's not with you there anymore. You know. That's why it took me a while to do it because and I still do even on stage. Man. You know, I'm so used to look into my left and it was just it worked out so perfect, man, And you know it's just like, uh, you know, we've known each other longer and we known our wives. So yeah, you know that the everything we've done was you know us, we always you know, I was talking to each other or whatever. After Troy died, did you consider not not continuing Montgomery gentry? Did you ever just think about being Eddie Montgomery or did you have you feel like there was something? I feel it's Hill Montgomery gentryman, It's MG. It's MG for life, and you know that's something. But I don't know. I don't want every want anybody forget Troy man, because I tell you what he was. He was a character herself, you know, and we're missing I think we're missing a lot of that in country music. Now's characters and uh, you know you got to you gotta live life man and singing have fun man. And I mean that's I'm not gonna quit living because you know, I'm I might be riding on a bus or be on the stage. I want to get in hang with everybody. What was your favorite thing about Troy as a person, like a human being. Ah, you know, he taught me a lot of stuff how to be uh better parents, uh better husband, you know, because I grew up pretty wild man, I was, uh, and I'm sure John boyd ain't. If John Boys sit anything, he probably tell you that, but uh, you know, with me, but anything goes. And you know, hell, I'm a I'm a guy at the end of my life. You know, most people you'll ask, you'll go like, man, God, I wish i'd have tried that. God, I wish you'd have done that. I'm gonna be that dude going, uh, Hell, maybe I shouldn't have tried that one. Maybe it shouldn't have done You know, I wish I really wouldn't have done that one. But you know, hey, it's life if you don't try it, ma'am. You know, hey, that's why America is the greatest country in the world because we can go get it if we want it. So you gotta do when you play the massive hits, do you are you singing even the songs that Roy sing. Uh? You know what, here's the way I've done that. And I was going to and I started and I went it didn't feel right to me. So all my guys, most of my guys anyway, we've been together from day one, our band, and I was like, you know what, let's do this. So I might start one off or t Roy song like Hillbilly or you know or something, and uh then I'll switch off and maybe let you know the keyboard player player verse, you know, Eddi K and we'll are Frank guitar player and we'll just switch back and forth a little bit and dude a little bit. But I'm gonna tell you what, here's a great thing about having songs like that, even though they wouldn't number one. Hell of course, we don't call the robody fans. We call them friends, man, and our friends are louder than we are singing them back. So that's a great thing about it. And I mean, you know, I just hell, I can start singing and they sing troys Port for me. You know, you guys have songs that really speak to country music. Late nineties, uh two thousand's you know that? To me, is that sound like when I think, you know, if someone's like, hey, I know what the nineties sound like, I know what the or late nineties two thousand sound like. And you guys are definitely the leaders in that category to me, like when I think of that type of music. Uh So for you to get out and perform these songs, this is the last question I have about the dynamic of you two guys. But the first time you go out at after you're playing again after Troy's death, I mean, that's got to be just extremely emotional. I mean, was it or was it not? Dude, I'll tell you what. Me and the whole band we opened up for Alabama and nervous as hell, and uh well all Man started tearing up backstage Man just before we went on, and I was like, God, I hope we can get through this. And uh, you know, we know t roys with us, and he's like, he'll get us it as long as you don't play a prank on us. Did you in that first performance? Did you ever felt a moment where we're like, Okay, we got it, Like I worried about it, but but but we you know that whole thing by the end of it, I'm gonna tell you, I was. Every one of us was emotionally just. We all got back there and had us a drink and yeah, tro thank you brother. If tour dates that, I want to mention here you are. You're in Fort Myers, you're in Georgia, you're in Nebraska, and you're playing these different shows. How long. How long does set for Montgomery Gentry now? UH will add the noos to right now? Our set's been running about one. It's a long show. It's a good show. You play all the hits still, Oh yeah, yeah, I don't know. We go and I mean ours ain't like Talkien. We go into one and it's kind of like southern rock thing. You know, it's one right into another. So when I get there, you're gonna play lucky man, Like if I show up, you're gonna play Damn right. I'm not gonna be like what lady to play my song? Damn right, it'll be there. Let me make sure everybody knows that. You know, you'll be able to stream the new Montgomery Gentry album into January if you're at Walmart and you want to get it now. It's actually out there. But it's you know, twelve tracks, it's all you, it's all it's Montgomery Gentry, same sound like you felt you had to do. Man, you know it's uh to me, I'll tell you what everybody's told me. That sounds like it sounds It sounds like Tattoos and Scars, our first CD. I gotta know something what old John Boys saying about my but well, because I got a few stories on him too. You know, he would he fell off a trashic on the end of his tongue off. He'd go around telling his name is Johnny the Dummy. You know he didn't tell that story. Oh sorry, john boy, that story did not come up. I like that story. That's a good one. You know. Mostly he just talked about you know, you guys having to kind of find your identities, not playing together a bit, that your identity was so much together for so for for your youth, and that it was you, you know, Troy him, you guys played together so much that there was a time where you had to figure out who each other were without each other, and you know it was it was a lot of that. But yeah, he didn't really really good fund Yes, much as I was hoping, I was really hoping to get some good. But you know, I tell you what, he loves you, no doubt about it. Oh man, I'll tell you what. You know what, I don't know what I do with that hie man, because he's uh, he's had my back and I mean through a lot of stuff, a lot of stuff. Uh, most people would turn and run you're bigger than he is, though, right, I feel like you're bigger. You feel like you're a bigger guy than he is. Yeah, you who was about pretty good after eight teenage, you know what, actually started playing music together all the time. Now, we mnna have some disagreements about music, but that was pretty much it. Uh now when we was kids. Now, well listen, let me say this first of all, you guys check out the music. His instagram is lucky Man Eddie. Why Lucky Man Eddie? Because I feel like that's who I am and my life that I grew up. And you know what, no matter how tough or rough or whatever is being man, it's been awesome, totally flip awesome man. And uh, I can't say it no better than that. I'm wanna thank the man upstairs and everybody that is come to the rescue and everybody that's had our back since we come out with tattoos and cars, even back in the clubs with being John boy. But it helped us out when you hand on food after us that one day hand on car. You know, we owe everybody that, man, And that's ah that uh to me, that's that's why America is the greatest country in the world becaes our neighbors help each other, and that Montgomery Gentry Instagram is at Montgomery Gentry, So I encourage you to follow those and check out the new music and if they come to town. If you guys come to town and go see you, because you're gonna play the head gonna play the new stuff too, but you're gonna play the heads because if I show up and you don't play something I'm proud of, I'm gonna get refund I'm gonna go here, I promise you. Hey, I really appreciate you spending an hour here with me talking and catching up. Hey, man, thank you so much for having a man I appreciate it. Did you drive down today? Uh? Drove down actual last night, but I wouldn't for sure where is that because you know, even though I've been coming to Nashville for years, Uh, you know, I just go to straight one place and I don't know. I don't know in and out and how it is. And I'll tell you, like I said, from the first time I come down there. You just went down Main Street and there's the Peak Chose and everything, and it's really I think all the most you good clubs where everybody was playing. Was that on Murphy's Borough so and and I remember that, and somebody told me, now, I don't know how rough Murphy's Bar is, but they said it's a lot different. And I know all the clubs, all the parties downtown now. And you know, you'd only see clubs if you've seen somebody playing downtown. It would be one here and maybe one there, Tutsie's, uh, and all the upstairs and everything to be done. But now there's rooftop bars everywhere. I'd hate to even guess what a piece of properly down there, cause now, yeah, that's that's ugly. Yeah, well listen, thank you very much for coming by, hey man, Thank you for having me so much. Man, you ever need anything for most you let us know, brother, I know gas wouldn't cheap to get down here and get back home. So that get about two miles a gallon. That's a big truck out there, all right, Thank thank you, and you good to see you. Good see you, bro. Thank you