Blake Shelton ‘Heartbroken’ Over Troy Gentry’s Death
Blake Shelton is among the many stars who turned to social media to express sorrow over the death of Montgomery Gentry singer Troy Gentry.
Gentry died on Friday afternoon (Sept. 8) when the helicopter in which he was the passenger crashed near the Flying W Airport in Medford, N.J. Montgomery Gentry were slated to play a concert there that evening. Both Gentry and the pilot were killed.
Shelton posted an old picture of himself and Gentry to Instagram on Friday, depicting them onstage together in their younger days. The young singers both sport considerably more hair than they would in later years, and Gentry is wearing a cowboy hat and smiling at his friend as they sing, while Shelton wears a backward ball cap.
"Found this picture of me and my old friend Troy a few days ago.. I am heart broken," Shelton writes to accompany the throwback picture.
Shelton has evidently been going through boxes of old pictures recently. A couple of weeks ago he shared an old photo of himself with Trace Adkins, and he actually posted a throwback pic of himself with Eddie Montgomery last weekend, teasing his old friend about his short hair.
12 Country Stars Who Died Too Soon
Eddie Montgomery has not yet spoken publicly in the wake of Gentry's death. It's the latest in a series of personal woes that have hit the singer over the last few years. Montgomery battled cancer and divorced, and also declared bankruptcy. His 19-year-old son died of an overdose in 2015.
Gentry also faced his share of tragedy. His wife, Angie, battled breast cancer in 2014, and his father died in August of 2016.
Gentry married Angie in 1999 and the couple welcomed a daughter, Kaylee, in 2002. Gentry also had an older daughter, Taylor, from a previous marriage. His family released a statement after his death on Friday, thanking fans for their prayers and well wishes.
“Troy Gentry’s family wishes to acknowledge all of the kind thoughts and prayers, and asks for privacy at this time,” a representative from Montgomery Gentry's record label, Average Joes, states.
911 audio reveals that Gentry's helicopter was experiencing distress for several minutes before crashing. The accident is under investigation. No funeral arrangements have yet been announced.
Many country stars turned to social media to express their shock and sorrow at the loss of their colleague and friend.
Country Singers Remember Troy Gentry