Eddie MontgomeryEddie Montgomery of Montomery Gentry made a surprise appearance Wednesday night with the 45 RPM Band at Nashville's Douglas Corner pub. The singer, who's looking fit and trim these days, dropped in to sing with the group which performs traditional country music from the '70s and '80s.

"This is just me returning to my roots," Eddie told the audience when he took to the stage. "My mom and dad had a band when I was a kid, and they played every night. When I was little, my babysitter was the bartender! Then when I got older I played in their band."

The crowd at Douglas Corner whistled and roared as Eddie consulted with the musicians for a moment. He turned back to the audience and said, "When I was playing in their band, I hated this song. They played it every night, and every night I said to my dad, 'Please do we have to sing this song again? I hate this song.' But we did it and I played it."

The band then broke into Merle Haggard's 'What Am I Going to Do (With the Rest of My Life),' and Eddie sang, "I can make it for a day or two without you, and maybe I can make it through the night ..." When he got to the line, "I've got whiskey I can drink that will help me not to think about you leaving..." someone from the audience sent up a shot of whiskey to the singer. He downed the amber liquid with a quick thank-you to his patron.

As the band prepared to finish the tune, Eddie waved them to a stop and said, "This is the way my dad would close it every night." He cleared his throat and in a half singing, half speaking voice that reached to the depths of his vocal range, sang, "Now tell me, darlin' ... what am I going to do with the rest of my life?" The band finished the tune with a flourish and Eddie said his thank-you's as once again the audience erupted in applause.

Eddie left the stage, shaking hands as he walked through the crowd which included songwriter Matraca Berg ('Strawberry Wine,' 'XXX' and OOO's), bluegrass great Rhonda Vincent, and producers Frank Rogers (Josh Turner, Brad Paisley) and Garth Fundis (Trisha Yearwood, Don Williams). He didn't disappear into the night after his performance, but hung around for the rest of the evening, talking with fans and listening to music by the 45 RPM Band and other special guests, including Australian guitar virtuoso Joe Robinson and newcomers Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Teea Goans and songwriter Phil O'Donnell.

The 45 RPM Band is made up of studio players headed by singer Jimmy Melton and featuring female vocalist Joanie Keller. They perform once a month, on the last Wednesday, at Douglas Corner. Surprise guests in the last few months have included Kellie Pickler and Gene Watson.

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