Today we turn our focus to a duo that recently suffered a tragic loss of one of their members. A duo that got started playing together as part of a couple of trios, groups that included a third future country music star.

Academy Of Country Music's - USO Concert
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Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry played music together for a very long time. Starting out as part of Eddie's group Early Tymz, along with Eddie's brother John Michael, and continued through a band change that found the three reunite as Young Country, with John Michael on lead vocals. The younger Montgomery decided to take a shot as a solo group, leaving Eddie and Troy to continue on until Gentry himself decided to make a solo run in 1994. The newly minted solo artist won the Jim Beam National Talent Contest that year, leading to Gentry opening for main stream acts like Patti Loveless and Tracy Byrd.

After some initial solo success, Gentry found himself unable to land a record contract, Gentry and Montgomery re-united to form Deuce, playing around the Nashville scene, occasionally opening for name acts. In 1998 the pair signed with Columbia Records Nashville, changing the band's name in the process. Their debut single, "Hillbilly Shoes" arrived in early 1999, when it actually

Keith Urban's Fourth Annual We're All For The Hall Benefit Concert
Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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began making its way around Nashville early, charting two weeks before its official release date. The single peaked at #13 and created such a buzz, that Montgomery Gentry's label was forced to release their debut album early, moving the release date of Tattoos and Scars from late May to April 6th.

The album would also feature the group's initial top-5 single, "Lonely and Gone". The group would go on to be nominated for the 1999 CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year, an award it would capture in 2000, a  year that also saw Montgomery Gentry win the ACM Top New Vocal Duo or Group award. The CMA award be the only time between 1992 and 2010 that a group other than Brooks & Dunn would win the Vocal Duo of the Year award from the CMA.

Montgomery Gentry would release 6 studio and 3 compilation album for Columbia Nashville between 1999 and 2008. The would sign with Average Joes Entertainment for their 2011 album Rebels On The Run and the 2012 EP Friends and Family, while 2015 saw them sign on with Blaster Records for Folks Like Us. The combined projects saw them awarded 2 gold and 3 platinum albums, chart 17 top-10 and 5 #1 hits.

Keith Urban's Fourth Annual We're All For The Hall Benefit Concert
Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Sadly, on September 8th, Troy Gentry was killed in a helicopter crash. The pair had just completed work on their 9th studio albums and were preparing for a show in New Jersey when Gentry's helicopter experienced mechanical difficulties and crashed on landing. He was 50. Today we have the lead single from the new album in our spotlight. Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, Montgomery Gentry and "Better Me" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.

Text today’s key word to 580 353-1013, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, presenting the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma’s Best Country KLAW101.

Today’s Key Word: “BETTER”

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