Grand Ole Opry to Host Public Celebration of Life for Troy Gentry + Official Obituary

Grand Ole Opry to Host Public Celebration of Life for Troy Gentry + Official Obituary

A public celebration of Troy Gentry’s life will take place Thursday, Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. CT at the Grand Ole Opry House, located at 2804 Opryland Drive in Nashville. For those unable to attend, a live stream of the service will be available.

A private, family internment will follow.

Troy’s official obituary is below.

Troy Lee Gentry passed away Sept. 8, 2017 in Medford, N.J., at the age of 50. He was born April 5, 1967, in Lexington, Ky. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Patricia Gentry, and his brother, Keith Gentry. A loving father and devoted husband, Troy is survived by his wife, Angie Gentry (nee McClure), as well as his daughters, Taylor and Kaylee.

Troy was a graduate of Lexington Community College and he attended the University of Kentucky. Troy was best known as a member of the award-winning country duo Montgomery Gentry, along with his longtime friend Eddie Montgomery. The pair began performing together in their home state of Kentucky and released their debut album, Tattoos & Scars, in 1999. The duo, whose trademark sound combined Southern rock and country, scored a string of No. 1 hits, including “If You Ever Stop Loving Me,” “Something to Be Proud Of,” “Lucky Man,” “Back When I Knew It All” and “Roll With Me.” They achieved platinum certification on three of their albums and gold certification on three others.

In 2009 the duo became members of the venerable Grand Ole Opry, which was Troy’s proudest professional achievement. The band was planning to release an album of new music in 2018 to mark their 20th anniversary as a duo. A generous man, Troy supported numerous charitable organizations, including Make A Wish Foundation and T.J. Martell Foundation, as well as military-related charities such as The USO. He was an active supporter of breast cancer awareness and research. Montgomery Gentry was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s Humanitarian Award in 2009.

Known for his wide smile, Troy was personally driven by faith, family and living life to the fullest. He was happiest on the water with his family. He enjoyed both wake-boarding and snow skiing. Troy was also an active supporter of various athletic teams at his daughter Kaylee’s school.

A follower of Christ, Troy faithfully attended Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tenn., when he was not on the road. One of his favorite bible verses was Deuteronomy 31:6, which says: “Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to T.J. Martell Foundation or The American Red Cross for hurricane relief.

photo by Chris Hollo

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