Out and proud country singer/songwriter Ty Herndon swings into town to perform his hits at the Rrazz Room at the Prince Sept. 17. Herndon, who has a new album coming out Oct. 28 entitled “House on Fire,” chatted with PGN about his music and life.
PGN: What can audiences expect from your show at the Rrazz Room?
TH: You’ll get to hear the hits and some new songs. I love the quaint rooms. I perform at a lot of fairs and festivals but I love to do an acoustic show. I love that you get a better sense of the song.
PGN: Country music has changed since you cranked out hits in the 1990s. Can you talk about your place in the music industry these days?
TH: I’m honored to be a “legacy” act — which made me feel really old! It means I earned my place in country music. I love where country is today. The difference is the larger audience. Some folks say country is the most popular, some folks say it’s the second-most popular. But the markets in Europe are bigger and XM Radio is playing the ’90s and early 2000s with the new stuff. Longevity is a good word for [my career].
PGN: You came out in 2014. What prompted that decision, and what’s the reaction you’ve had since then?
TH: I was at a place in my life that I couldn’t live the way I was living anymore. I wanted my music and life to be more authentic. I wanted to walk down the street with my partner, and I wanted people to know more about me. Chely Wright [an openly gay country singer] was great and she counseled me. I was prepared not to have a career in country music because my life was more important. But that didn’t happen, I didn’t have that. I had some trolls on social media, but my fans were real loyal. I’m lucky Matt, my partner of seven years, loves country music. I don’t know if I’d be with him if he didn’t.
PGN: Do you think you could have come out sooner?
TH: I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. And I’m happy in the place I have as an out and proud man, period. Being out and proud in country music is awesome. I get to do a lot more work for equality, and man up and show up for things that matter. And crowds at the shows are a real modern family. There are same-sex couples at my concerts.
PGN: Do you feel pressure as a country singer to fit a certain mold or stereotype?
TH: The great thing about coming out was that I am my own stereotype. I am still the same ol’ country boy, but you know more about me. My music has gotten better because I’ve gotten better and my music is more authentic because I’m more authentic. My new album is my first album that’s non-gender-specific. There is not a “he” or “she” on the album. My audience is so much broader; I want them to put their lives into the songs I’m singing. I didn’t do it intentionally but, eight songs in, my producer noticed it is gender-free. I have this lyric: “I know you’re going to be the death of me/but what a sweet, sweet way to go.” That’s for Matt. But I want my sister to be able to sing it to her husband. Country music is universal, and I want people to hear the songs and not think, He’s singing it to a girl/boy.
PGN: Can you describe what your music means to you?
TH: Music is a feeling. I write from my feelings and my experiences. My music reflects the mood of my day. If I can’t relate to it, it doesn’t make the record. It’s about keeping it real.
PGN: You had some difficulties in your personal life that got some media attention. What observations do you have about where you were and where you are now?
TH: I’ve had ups and downs and I’ve come out on the other side. My struggles with addiction and depression were because I was living life as a lie. When you live that way, you find ways to feel better, but those “feel betters” almost took my life. I’ve been clean and sober for a long time now, so I can be a bit of a teacher and preacher through song, and hopefully prevent someone going through that.
PGN: What music might people be surprised to learn you like?
TH: Oh wow! Eminem. I like modern rap. There’s a lot of passion in some of these guys. But I usually put on Faith Hill, Vince Gil and Bonnie Raitt.