Troy Gentry dead: Country star killed in helicopter crash at age 50

The singer formed one half of the country duo Montgomery Gentry

Eddie Montgomery (L) and Troy Gentry (R) of Montgomery Gentry perform in Nashville, Tennessee (Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Outback Concerts)

Troy Gentry, one half of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry, has been killed in a helicopter crash.

Mr Gentry, who was 50 years old, was en route to a show in New Jersey when his helicopter crashed at the airport. The pilot also died at the scene, the Associated Press reports.

"It is with great sadness that we confirm that Troy Gentry, half of the popular country duo Montgomery Gentry, was tragically killed in a helicopter crash," the band said in a statement.

They added: "Troy Gentry's family wishes to acknowledge all of the kind thoughts and prayers, and asks for privacy at this time."

The Flying W Airport and Resort Restaurant and Bar, where the duo was scheduled to perform, announced on Facebook that they would be closed for the rest of the day.

Mr Gentry formed Montgomery Gentry with Eddie Montgomery in 1999. The duo produced eight albums and won various country music awards, including the Country Music Association's Album and Vocal Duo of the Year. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2009.

The band was known for singles such as "If You Ever Stop Loving Me", "Something to Be Proud Of", "Lucky Man", "Back When I Knew It All" and "Roll with Me".

Mr Gentry was born in Lexington, Kentucky, but was living in Nashville, Tennessee at the time of his death. He had a wife and two children.

The singer started his career performing back-up vocals with local bands, and gained wider recognition after winning the 1994 Jim Beam National Talent Search in Nashville. He cited George Jones, Randy Travis, Hank Williams, Jr., and Merle Haggard as influences on his career.

"All those cats; and they weren’t about No 1 hits all the time," Mr Gentry said in an interview posted to his website. "They had enough success with their music to be appreciated, to be able to play as long as they wanted to, and they did it the way they wanted to."

He added: "To still be out this long and doing what we’re doing, we’ve been very blessed."