Interview with Montgomery Gentry and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboardist/fan club)
by Janelle Landauer
Questions for Eddie Kilgallon
What can potential first time members of the MG Underground expect when they join the exclusive site?
Potential first time members of the MG Underground will be blown away by the amount of video content we have collected over the years. Currently, we have over 130 “webisodes” posted on the site, along with hundreds of pictures in our “Shots From Below” gallery. All of the exclusive content is shot, edited and posted from the road…so it’s the next best thing to being there!
How often is new content updated on the site?
We add new content weekly. Our production manager uploads still shots while I concentrate on the webisodes and our monthly Fan Club contests (another perk to membership, there is a contest every month for the members…prizes have included autographed albums, meet and greet passes, free fan club memberships, etc.)
What kind of content do you like to share with the fans and what seems to be the most popular with the fans?
When we create the webisodes, we keep in mind what the fans would like to see. So there’s a bunch of the typical day to day stuff, however, we’ve gone out on a limb with our creative license and actually scripted a few, with hilarious results! Fan favorites vary, but they love seeing Eddie & Troy off stage, maybe picking up some cooking tips from Troy, or sharing some down time with Eddie.
What is a typical day on the road like for you?
Our typical day includes the following: 10am – Load-In (trucks get unloaded, stage and lights get set up) 12noon – Lunch (food is a very important element is the life of a touring musician, mostly because we’re at the mercy of the venue since we can’t cook anything substantial on the tour bus. Our favorite saying is ,”Hey, what’s for chicken?” 3pm – soundcheck (run through a few songs, talk over any changes to the set list…sometimes it’s the first time we see Eddie & Troy that day so we catch up and have a few laughs) 5 pm – Dinner (see above) 7:30 – Meet and Greet (Eddie & Troy still do a meet and greet before almost every show. Fan Club members are eligible for 1 meet and greet pass per year, and it’s always great to see some familiar faces at the shows) 9pm – Showtime! (usually between 75-90 mins, we rock the house night after night) 11pm – Load Out and head to the next town to do it all again...
Since you spend a good amount of your time on the road, what are some of your favorite things to do in all the different cities?
We usually don’t get to do much site seeing in the towns we play, mostly because of the transportation/time elements. However, when we have a day off on the road we try to get out and see the world.
How often do you rehearse in Nashville before a new tour or between dates and approximately how long does it take to learn new music?
We rehearse the new show at the beginning of the year, and work on new tunes during soundchecks. All of us have been doing this for a long time, so when we rehearse, it’s basically just putting the pieces together.
Questions for Montgomery Gentry (Eddie Montgomery & Troy Gentry)
While you're both on the road so much, how do you balance your career with your family and friends?
It’s important to distinguish between “on time” and “off time.” When we’re on the road, the days are slam packed with things that keep us busy, not to mention the show at night. So when we’re home, it’s definitely time to “chill out” and back everything down into first gear and unwind. Our friends and families are incredibly supportive of us and that makes all the difference in the world. It’s always great to come home after a trip out.
What are some of your favorite things to do in all the different cities you visit while on tour?
We don’t have much free time to visit or sightsee when we’re on tour. Most of the cool things we see pass us by while we move on down the road.
Several of your hit singles are songs that fans can relate to. How important is it for you to choose songs that the fans & audience can connect with?
We think we’ve found a knack for finding songs that are relatable, honest and just downright good. We sing about the common man (and woman), and try to find songs that really get to the bottom of who we are. It’s all about singing songs that people can believe in.
Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to all your fans & all our readers?
The Underground is like an open “backstage door” to our fan club members. We’ve got stuff in there that’ll make you laugh, cheer….and sometimes say “did they really just do that?” So c’mon in and experience what it’s really like out here on the road….and be ready for some good times!
Fan Club Spotlight – Montgomery Gentry Underground
Added: October 18, 2007
