In November of 2014, Ty Herndon was the first major market male country artist to publicly come out as gay. Herndon received a wave of support that only strengthened his relationship with fans. Using his celebrity power for the better good, Herndon is in the planning stages of a new coalition called RALY (Rescue A Life Y’all) to help save lives and raise awareness for those with addiction or identity issues.
Starting as a teenager, Ty Herndon performed at OPRYLAND USA, won Best Male Vocalist on the iconic “Star Search,” and proceeded to receive the title Texas Entertainer of the Year in 1993. In 1995, Herndon signed with Epic Records, where he made his chart debut with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first #1 single and won Song of the Year from Music Row Magazine. His album of the same title debuted at #15 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records Nashville.
Since then, Ty Herndon has continued to find success and overcome the hurdles that come with fame. He has released ten more albums, most recently Lies I Told Myself (2013), which highlights the original style that made him famous and also demonstrates his growth as an artist. With this album Herndon found a new platform for bonding with fans. He invited folks to participate in his album launch via a well-publicized Kickstarter campaign that allowed fan investors to be involved both financially and emotionally. The end result was a testimony to Herndon’s affinity for connection; devotees more than doubled the original funding goal.
The Grammy Nominated and Dove Award Winning Country Recording Artist has the ability to connect with an audience far beyond his onstage performance. Ty Herndon has a passion and commitment to his music that shows in his lyrics. “If I haven’t lived it, I haven’t sung it” as Herndon says. For a career spanning two decades with 20 Billboard chart songs and 5 million albums sold, Herndon sees no signs of slowing down.
Herndon will be performing at the Folly Theater Friday, October 23rd. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased online or at the theater box office.