Country singer Troy Gentry was killed on Friday after the helicopter he was riding in crashed. The tragic accident took place in Medford Township, New Jersey. Gentry was in town for a concert and was only 50-years-old when he died.

Country music duo

Gentry was one-half of the popular country band, Montgomery Gentry. The helicopter crash took place around 1 p.m. on August 8. About three hours later, a statement was released on the official Montgomery Gentry Twitter page. The statement confirmed the accident and informed followers that the duo was scheduled to perform at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford.

The statement also included that Troy Gentry's family wishes to acknowledge all of the kind thoughts and prayers, but asks for privacy at this time.

The pilot of the helicopter was also killed in the crash. James Evan Robinson, who was just 30-years-old, was flying the chopper when it went down in a wooded area near the airport. The purpose of the helicopter trip is still unknown, and there is an ongoing investigation as to what caused the crash.

Gentry was married to his wife of 17 years, Angie McClure, from December 14, 1999. The couple has a 15-year-old daughter together named Kaylee. Troy Gentry has another daughter, Taylor, from his first marriage.

The music

The other half of Montgomery Gentry is Eddie Montgomery.

The pair released their first single, "Hillbilly Shoes," in the winter of 1999. The song was the debut single from the bands first album, "Tattoos and Scars." In 2000, Montgomery Gentry won the American Music Award (AMA) for Favorite New Country Artist. That same year, the band won an award for Top New Duo with the Academy of Country Music and Vocal Duo of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.

Since then, Montgomery Gentry released eight more studio albums. The last album they released was in June of 2015 titled "Folks Like Us." The ten-track album was a highly anticipated one for fans, as it was the duo's first studio album in four years.

The duo was set to spend this month and next on the road. Their next stop after the show in New Jersey was scheduled for September 10 at the Wayne County Fair in Wooster, Ohio.

After that, fans could have seen them perform in a number of cities throughout the country including Denver, Bakersfield, and San Antonio.

More information on the cause of the accident and funeral arrangements will be made over the next few days. Until that time, fans can leave condolences on the Montgomery Gentry Twitter and Facebook pages.