Ty Herndon | |
|---|---|
 Herndon at the Wildhorse Saloon, June 2023. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Boyd Tyrone Herndon[1] |
| Born | May 2, 1962[1] Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels |
|
| Formerly of | Tennessee River Boys |
| Spouses | Renee Posey
(m. 1993; div. 2002)Alex Schwartz (m. 2023) |
| Partner | Matt Collum (2010–2021) |
| Website | tyherndon |
Boyd Tyrone Herndon (born May 2, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His music career began in the 1980s as a member of the Tennessee River Boys, a predecessor to the country band Diamond Rio. Herndon quit the band early on and gained his first national exposure as a competitor on Star Search. He then played at various honky-tonks in Texas. After signing to Epic Records in 1993, Herndon made his debut in 1995 with his number-one single, "What Mattered Most". This was followed that same year by the release of his first album, also titled What Mattered Most.
Herndon released three more studio albums and a compilation for Epic: Living in a Moment (1996), Big Hopes (1998), Steam (1999), and This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits (2002). He recorded a Christmas album in 2002 before a recording hiatus. He returned with his fifth studio album, Right About Now (2007) for the Titan Pyramid label; his sixth studio release, Journey On, followed in 2010. Herndon has charted a total of 17 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This figure includes three number-ones: "What Mattered Most", "Living in a Moment" and "It Must Be Love". His singles "I Want My Goodbye Back", "Loved Too Much", "A Man Holdin' On (To a Woman Lettin' Go)", and "Hands of a Working Man" all made top ten on the same chart.
Herndon gained further media attention in 2014 after he came out as gay, becoming the first mainstream male country music singer to do so. His personal life has been the subject of mainstream media for other reasons, including his struggles with drug addiction and mental health. His musical style is defined by his singing voice and an emphasis on ballads.