BOB GENTRY Revives Music Career, Scores New Record Deal

Singer-Songwriter BOB GENTRY releases his first new single, "20 Years to Life," today. The track comes from Gentry's forthcoming EP, Back on the Horse, which is set for release on October 28. The EP, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dave Darling, is part of the new record deal he recently signed with Blue Élan Records. Listen to "20 Years to Life" below.

Gentry is "Back on the Horse" after he regrettably resigned himself to leave his music career behind and relocate to Palm Springs, a decade ago. It wasn't until last year, when Blue Élan Records Co-Founder, Kirk Pasich, who had become a fan of Gentry's, reached out to ask if he had any new music. One thing led to another and a record deal was solidified.

With first single, 20 Years to Life, Gentry explains the meaning behind it, "Well, it's actually a quirky love song, and about commitment. People joke about marriage and relationships being some sort of Life Sentence, but liking someone enough to say, 'Yes, lock me up, no parole, let me prove it by sticking around, cuff me up, etc...' is what the song's all about. I had fun swiping legal terms and trying to be clever. I actually worried that the legal analogies might have been a little over-the-top, but when I started writing it, the song almost wrote itself."

Gentry had found early success in the 90's with his Detroit-based band, Moisture, a grunge-influenced rock band who were nominated for Best Rock Band at the Motor City Music Awards. Eventually, the group disbanded and after relocating from Detroit to Los Angeles. Gentry, then, recreated Moisture with new members from an ad in The Recycler. Finding more success on the west coast, the newly formed band performed on the USA Network and Canada's MUCH Music Network, before being offered a recording contract by FarmClub, then a label under Jimmy Iovine's Interscope Records. But then, September 11th happened and Moisture was all but lost in the changes the record industry endured.

After going solo, Gentry began writing and performing with Grammy-winning artists including David Tyson, writer of the hit "Black Velvet" performed by Alannah Myles among others. He released his first solo album in 2005 and his song "Never Know" was featured in the popular hit Fox television series Bones in 2006. That same year, Gentry made it to the finals as part of the cast of the NBC show StarTomorrow which featured David Foster as the head judge. Gentry bowed out of the show before the finale after discovering the deal he would need to sign was less than advantageous to the artist.

Now with a second (or third, but who's counting) shot at his music being heard, Gentry is ready to embrace this life once again. "I know second chances don't often come around, I'm ready to give this all I have. Like so many things in my life, I keep asking myself 'Is this really happening? And now, at this stage in my life?' Crazy!"

Listen to "20 Years To Life" here:

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