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It was "the songs of angry men" that brought them together, but these days, the men of GENTRI are all about spreading inspiration through music.

Casey Elliott, Bradley Quinn Lever and Brad Robins first performed together in a 2014 Hale Centre Theatre production of "Les Misérables": Elliott as Jean Valjean, Lever as Enjolras and Robins as Marius. On Saturday — two years to the day after the opening of that production, Robins noted — the three tenors will perform a sold-out concert at Salt Lake City's Kingsbury Hall. The Valentine's Day-themed show will feature the "cinematic pop" trio performing a mix of classic love songs, favorite show tunes and the group's upbeat original compositions, backed by a 21-piece orchestra and multimedia effects. "They'll laugh, they'll cry, they'll go home happy," Robins promised.

Robins said the three friends laughed when Zerelda Elliott, Casey's wife, suggested they form a singing group. But, "nerdy business guys" that they were, they started kicking around ideas, and GENTRI (short for Gentlemen Trio) was born.

One of the first things the men did was recruit producer and arranger Stephen Nelson, with whom each of them had worked on various musical projects. "Stephen … really understands our voices and how to get from them what will be most appealing to the listener," said Robins, who noted that the group doesn't have a lead vocalist; "we all have our moments in the spotlight." Typically, Lever sings the highest notes and Robins the lowest, with Elliott in the middle. "What makes GENTRI unique is our ability to blend and harmonize," Robins said. "The natural timbre of our voices just works together."

Fashion is another important element in the GENTRI brand. "We kind of pride ourselves on being dapper and dressing sharp," Robins said. The singers perform in suits made by local custom clothiers, accented by their trademark pocket squares — handmade by Zerelda Elliott and available for purchase on the group's website.

"It kind of goes without saying that a large number of women gravitate to our sound and messages, but frankly, we've been pleasantly surprised to see a spectrum of demographics at our shows," Robins said. "It's a combination of men, women, teens, preteens, middle-aged and elderly. It's really a satisfying thing."

The trio is working on expanding its audience beyond the Wasatch Front, headlining women's conferences and charity events on both coasts, as well as a BYUtv Christmas special with popular teen singer Lexi Walker. Last year's self-titled EP spent 10 weeks in the top 10 of Billboard's Classical and Classical Crossover charts, while a Christmas medley went to No. 1 on the Hot Single chart; the group's first full-length album drops on Friday, Feb. 12. GENTRI also maintains a robust social-media presence, including the recent #FindYourFight project spotlighting "everyday soldiers."

The men aren't quite ready to give up their day jobs — Robins noted his job in Adobe's marketing department offers almost unlimited flexibility — but "the dream is to pursue our passion," he said. "We're having a lot of fun doing this, and we're going to keep giving it everything we've got." —

Three gents

GENTRI, the Gentlemen Trio, performs a Valentine's Day show.

When • Saturday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m.

Where • Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City

Tickets • Sold out

Hear them out • YouTube.com/GENTRImusic; GENTRImusic.com