Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 12, 1995 TAG: 9505120013
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It turned out that someone was John Michael Montgomery, who will bring his country act to the Salem Civic Center Sunday night. But it just as easily could have been his father, or his older brother, or his younger sister, or even his mom, the self-taught drummer.
His father, Harold, was probably the first likely choice.
A guitar player, he fronted his own weekend band called Harold Montgomery and the Kentucky River Express. It played at dance halls and nightclubs around Lexington, Ky., and occasionally performed on ``The Ernest Tubb Record Shop,'' a radio show out of Nashville.
Harold Montgomery had the talent to make it as a country singer, said his son in a telephone interview from his home outside Lexington. But he also had three kids, so quitting his day job to move to Nashville wasn't really an option.
Meanwhile, he had trouble keeping a drummer in his weekend band until his wife, Carol, finally volunteered to fill in. She had never played drums before, but her son said she is a strong-headed woman who wanted to be a part of her husband's weekend life.
``She got pretty doggone good, too,'' Montgomery said.
Later, Mrs. Montgomery was replaced on drums by her oldest son, Eddie, and she moved to tambourine. Then John Michael joined the group at age 15 as a second guitarist and singer, followed by his sister, who also sang. The group was renamed the Montgomery Ambush Band.
At first, Montgomery, now 30, didn't share his father's musical ambitions.
``My biggest motivation was to get some attention from the girls,'' he confessed. Over time, however, as Montgomery started up a band of his own, that changed and carrying on his father's dream became important.
Like his father, Montgomery also worked his share of day jobs. He was a waiter, a roofer, a liquor store clerk and more while plugging away in the clubs at night. When he was in his early 20s, his group was hired as the house band at the Austin City Saloon in Lexington, a gig that lasted nearly three years.
In 1990, Rick Blackburn, president of Atlantic Records in Nashville, caught Montgomery's act and saw potential. At the time, Montgomery was playing mostly up-tempo, country-rock covers of groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels and Bob Seger.
``He wasn't doing any kind of power ballads at all,'' Blackburn told the Los Angeles Times. ``I thought, `As good lookin' as he is, if he can sing some power ballads . . . if we can take him one-on-one with the female listeners out there, maybe it can work.'''
Montgomery signed with Atlantic in 1991, but it took almost two years before his first album was released, much longer than usual. It was during a time when Atlantic Nashville wasn't doing very well and the label kept changing record producers on Montgomery's album.
``It was tremendously frustrating because you're so eager,'' the singer said.
Finally, ``Life's a Dance'' was released in late 1992, spawning the hits ``I Love The Way You Love Me'' and ``Beer and Bones.'' That was followed last year by the album ``Kickin' It Up,'' and more hits, ``Rope The Moon,'' ``Be My Baby,'' and the big breakthrough song, ``I Swear.''
A power ballad, ``I Swear'' helped Montgomery enjoy a banner year in 1994. The song won a Grammy Award and the Country Music Association's Single of the Year Award. Montgomery also won the CMA's Horizon Award, given to the most promising new talent, and the tall, dimpled singer cemented his connection with a mostly female audience.
``People'' magazine even ranked him as one of the world's 50 most beautiful people.
Critics have not been so generous, however, suggesting that his main appeal is that he looks good in a cowboy hat. Otherwise, they contend he has an average voice and little creative vision.
Either way, Montgomery is now headlining his own concert tour for the first time, and his new album, titled ``John Michael Montgomery,'' is doing well. So, he said he doesn't let the criticism get to him.
Nor does he pay much attention to his country hunk image. He said he's out of shape and overweight by about 20 pounds. And he likes to eat. ``It's amazing what photographs do, I guess.''
Montgomery hopes to trim down some this year. He also hopes his headlining tour will be a success. He said he feels a lot of pressure. ``I've won all the new artist stuff. Now it's like starting all over again.''
He would like to someday be country music's Entertainer of the Year. He also would like to settle down and eventually raise a family - so he can brag to them about his accomplishments, he said, only half joking.
Montgomery has been dating someone for about a year, but he said marriage is still far away. First, he plans to build a house on a farm outside Lexington, where he spends his time when he's not touring or recording.
He said the proximity to family is important to him. His sister, Becky, still lives near where they grew up. She's married now and has two children, but still sings with a band on weekends.
Montgomery's brother worked as his drummer for years and now serves as his personal assistant. Mom doesn't drum much anymore, and his father died in August.
But at least he got to see his son accomplish what he had dreamed of doing himself.
``I guess he passed along the torch,'' Montgomery said.
by CNB