Still, he remembered enough to average about 185 per game for his first three-game set and had such a good time that he bought a bowling ball and shoes.
"Now that will give me something else to do when I'm on the road. It's good exercise. Heck, I pulled a muscle bowling where I wasn't used to it," Montgomery laughed and said.
Joining the NASCAR world in two weeks
In just over two weeks Montgomery Gentry will join the NASCAR world for a concert at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., as part of the UAW-GM Quality 500 pre-race show. The duo will perform a one-hour concert on the frontstretch of the famous superspeedway at 5 p.m. Oct. 15.
Not long after they finish, the UAW-GM Quality 500, the only Saturday night race in the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship, will be contested.
"It's all part of the retirement party for (driver) Rusty (Wallace)," Montgomery said. "We've done a couple of things there before, but this is going to be a big deal."
They will also be doing a benefit in western Kentucky with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart next month.
"Kid Rock is going to come join us, too. It will get pretty wild," Montgomery said. "Anything with those NASCAR guys is going to be a bunch of fun."
Montgomery stayed in shape for his busy concert schedule when he was home by joining the new fitness center at Centre College. "I loved it. I couldn't believe what all they had done there. It's a beautiful place," he said.
He didn't get to see a Kentucky football game in person, but he's watched on TV and already heard plenty from friends who know how much he loves UK football and basketball.
"It's weird how rumors about Kentucky sports travel, especially around those Tennessee guys. They've really ragged on me about UK's football team this year," Montgomery said.
His son is wearing Brohm jersey
If that's not hard enough on Montgomery, his son, Hunter, now wears a Brian Brohm jersey. He's the starting quarterback for Louisville.
"You don't even see a UK jersey in the stores," said Montgomery, who turns 42 Friday. "All you see are those Brohm jerseys. Hunter likes UK, too. He's still a big Derek Abney fan. But he likes that Brohm jersey."
What about Montgomery? Any chance he might get one, too?
"Not me. I respect what Louisville has done, and I love (basketball coach Rick) Pitino, but I bleed blue. Always have and always will. I enjoy sports a lot, but there's still nothing as good as Kentucky basketball and football. No matter where I go, I'll find Kentucky fans wanting to talk about the Cats just as much as I do."
Just in case you were wondering, he has been working, too. Soon Montgomery Gentry's "Something to Be Proud of: Best of 1999-2005" will be released with 12 former hits along with one new song. The album will include hits such as "Gone," "Hell Yeah," "Daddy Won't Sell the Farm," and my all-time favorite, "My Town."
"It's still hard to believe we have a greatest hits album," Montgomery said. "But the best thing is there is still a lot more to come."
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Montgomery Gentry
