Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry dies in helicopter crash

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, Eddie Montgomery, left, and Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry arrive at the 45th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Gentry, one half of the award-winning country music duo Montgomery Gentry, died Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, in a helicopter crash, according to a statement from the band’s website. He was 50. The group was supposed to perform Friday at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File) FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, Eddie Montgomery, left, and Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry arrive at the 45th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Gentry, one half of the award-winning country music duo Montgomery Gentry, died Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, in a helicopter crash, according to a statement from the band’s website. He was 50. The group was supposed to perform Friday at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

By Associated Press September 8, 2017 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Troy Gentry, one half of the award-winning country music duo Montgomery Gentry, has died in a helicopter crash. He was 50.

The group’s website says Gentry “was tragically killed in a helicopter crash” that occurred around 1 p.m. Friday in Medford, New Jersey. 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, Kentucky, where he met bandmate Eddie Montgomery and formed a group based off their last names.

The duo had success on the country charts, scoring five No. 1 hits. The band was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2009.