John Michael Montgomery Joins Forces With Brother Eddie for Multiple Projects

John Michael Montgomery is gearing up to hit the recording studio to lay down some tracks, this time bringing along his big brother, Eddie, of Montgomery Gentry. The brothers will not only record an album, but they will also be collaborating on a book project, both of which they will begin work on this winter.

"Maybe we'll do two or three songs first, and then maybe even do a whole album next year or something," John Michael, who played with his brother and Troy Gentry before going solo in the early '90s, tells Billboard. "We used to do a lot of Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings] stuff together -- he'd do Willie and I'd do Waylon, stuff like that. We've been wanting to do something together for quite a while, but we've never really gotten together and done actual songs of our own together. So it's going to be interesting to go in and find what we can come out with."

"We want to have fun with it more than anything," he continues. "Before, we were on different major labels, different booking agencies ... Now all the red tape has disappeared, and the politics, too. I think it could turn out to be a pretty good album."

Montgomery says he will "do a little woodshedding, a little writing" with his brother, before hitting the studio later in the year. The two plan "to go through some other writers and see if there isn't some cool material out there for us to cut," as well.

In addition to the new music in the works, the Montgomery brothers are also readying a book about their lives, along with the help of veteran country music journalist Alanna Nash. Montgomery says the book will be based on "our life, being raised in Kentucky with a musical family and moving a bunch from house to house ... and having a good time doing it. The next thing you know, I ended up getting a record deal and having some hits, and so did [Eddie]. It's rare enough that one person gets an opportunity like that; it's even more rare that two people have something like that happen, and I think even rarer that two brothers actually have success like me and him have. We have a lot of really good stories, I can tell you that."

John Michael's last album that he released was his 2009 Cracker Barrel compilation, titled 'For Our Heroes.' He is currently working on a live album set for release this year, which will also include a DVD documentary of him talking about the songs, storyteller-style.

"I'm putting together little, short stories about how each song came about and how it ended up in my lap or how I ended up writing it and stuff like that," he says. "I gives a little insider stuff that people probably don't know. I think they'll really enjoy hearing those stories."

Meanwhile, Eddie Montgomery and his duo partner, Troy Gentry, released their latest single this month, titled 'Where I Come From.'

Watch John Michael and Eddie Montgomery Perform 'Good Hearted Woman' Live