Montgomery Gentry ‘Steal’ From Brooks and Dunn

Montgomery Gentry have had a busy ten years together. Touring almost non-stop, the Grammy-nominated Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry have sold millions of albums and consistently placed hits at the top of the charts. Recently inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, Eddie says he owes a lot to another duo for helping Montgomery Gentry achieve their success.

"I gotta be honest with you, I love the hell out of Ronnie [Dunn] and Kix [Brooks] both," Eddie tells The 9513, speaking about the retirement of country's most successful duo, Brooks and Dunn. "They took us out on tour, they've been nothing but unbelievable to us, and they didn't have to."

Brooks and Dunn were so supportive of Eddie and Troy, they even invited them out on their tour in the beginning. "They're a class act. I really do appreciate them," Eddie says. "Anybody knows that in our business, it's a cutthroat damn business and to see Ronnie and Kix, when we first came out, take us in and go 'Yeah, man, the more duos, the more power.' We've been trying to steal everything we can steal from them, brother. And you don't want to steal from somebody that sucks."

One thing Eddie doesn't plan to steal from Brooks and Dunn is their attempt at a solo career. "We enjoy singing together and I don't know if we're just too lazy to do solo or if we just depend on each other to cover each other's ass, I don't know. Right now, we're loving doing what we're doing. Even if one of us goes out and sings a song with someone else, that doesn't mean we're going to go solo."

While Montgomery Gentry lost the CMA Duo of the Year award to Brooks and Dunn six years in a row, Eddie stills sees the news of the duo's split as bittersweet. "They're legends themselves. They are legends," he says. "I hate to see them really go. To me, it's not really even a contest. They've been out there a lot more years. If there's a better country singer than Ronnie Dunn, I don't think I've heard it. I think they'll get back together at some time and do some more touring, but I wish them both the best."

Montgomery Gentry are once again nominated for Duo of the Year at the upcoming CMA Awards, along with Brooks and Dunn, Big & Rich, Sugarland and Joey + Rory. The CMA Awards air live on Nov. 11 on ABC.