The hard-rockin,' music-lovin' duo Montgomery Gentry have had a slew of hit songs and soaring country music success. Now Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry are doing their part to achieve another kind of success: the end to breast cancer. And Montgomery has a very personal connection to the cancer battle - he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010.
"I hope that one day we will stomp that big C-word out. Maybe someday you'll be able to go in and get something as simple as a shot to prevent or cure cancer, but until that day let's keep making strides," Montgomery told HNGN in an exclusive interview.
For the popular duo, those strides include raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
"This is the greatest country in the world, where all their neighbors help each other out. Troy and I just wanted to do our part to help fight breast cancer. We decided to offer our new single, 'Headlights,' a cool T-shirt and make all of the proceeds go to breast cancer research."
The special bundle being offered by GhostTunes - the new digital music platform founded by country superstar Garth Brooks - includes Montgomery Gentry's new hit single and a "Check Your Headlights" T-shirt. All profits from the $19.99 bundle sales will be donated to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, an American Cancer Society initiative.
"We're hoping gals will take a moment to crank the single up real loud - then go get their boobies checked out!" declared Montgomery.
The singer personally knows how X-rays can be powerful weapons in the early detection of cancer. An X-ray saved his life.
"My son had had a four-wheel wreck and had to have his shoulder operated on," recalled Montgomery. "I was visiting with his doctor and mentioned that my back had been hurting and that no one could figure out the cause. He said let me X-ray you real quick.
"When he took a look at the x-ray, he said, 'Son, there's nothing wrong with your back, but you need to get your prostrate checked out immediately.' The docs went in and checked - and there the cancer was. Prostate cancer. That was a week before my birthday five years ago."
Montgomery says the diagnosis hit him extra hard, because of a family history with the disease.
"When I found out I had prostate cancer, it hit home pretty quick, because my dad had died of prostate cancer. He was only 52 when he died. He kept puttin' it off. He knew something was bothering him, but we couldn't get him to go to the doctor. He just wouldn't do it. We finally made him go and the tests came back that it was cancer. But, by then, it was too late."
In Montgomery's own case, he underwent successful robotic surgery in December of 2010 and was pronounced cancer free in January.
"That was a lucky X-ray for me, that's why I know getting X-rays are so important. Everybody needs to do it, no matter what age they are. We need to get closer to knocking cancer out.
"I'm clean and green from cancer and 100 percent ready to rock. I was lucky enough to go in and do a checkup. If you find it early, the docs can go in and get it taken care of."
The duo is now putting the finishing touches on a new album, already powered by the success of the "Headlights" single.
"We are in the stages of mixing the new album right now," noted Montgomery. "Like with everything else we do, T-Roy and I are hands-on with this record. Nobody ever put this duo together. We were friends long before we ever got to Nashville. We were lucky enough to get a record deal. Radio and the fans liked us and we like playin' live music. So, as long as they want to hear us and see us, we're gonna keep doin' it."
Montgomery's friendship with Gentry started back in Kentucky when they were growing up. The kicked around together, along with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Montgomery - who came to Nashville first and had a major country music career with hits such as "I Love the Way You Love Me," "I Swear," "Be My Baby Tonight," "If You've Got Love," "I Can Love You Like That" and "The Little Girl."
"Me and Troy and John Boy - John Michael - started a band together. T-Roy and I have been together a long time, and we always have each other's back. Hell, me and Troy have known each other longer than we've known our wives."
When Montgomery Gentry hit Nashville, they notched five No. 1 singles, "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," "Something To Be Proud Of," "Lucky Man," "Back When I Knew It All" and "Roll With Me," along with blue-collar anthems "Hell Yeah," "My Town" and "Hillbilly Shoes."
So, how 'bout a heads up on the songs on the new album?
"Well, I hate hearing myself sing, so I am always picking my vocals apart. But, I gotta say, T-Roy sings his ass off on this record. I think it's the best vocal performance he's ever done. He makes me sound good. When he's singing with me, I'm better for it.
"We've got one song on the album called 'Folks Like Us' that fits in with what we always sing about - the good, the bad, the ugly and the party on the weekend.
"We each have a solo. Mine is called 'Pain' and T-Roy's is 'I'm Better for It.'
"And we've got one called 'Hillbilly Hippies' that is absolutely off the hook."
Montgomery admits it's playing their music live for people across the country that still gets his and Troy's motor running.
"We just love playin.' It seems like the more we do it, the more we want to do it. Just hanging out with everybody and having fun is what it's all about."
He paused.
"You know, we grew up in honky tonks, so it's really the only thing we know how to do. The bottom line is when this life is done we're going to be in a honky tonk near you somewhere."
Check out Montgomery Gentry's "Headlights" here:
