Ty Herndon

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2007) (Find sources: Ty Herndon – news, books, scholar)

Boyd Tyrone "Ty" Herndon (born May 2, 1962, in Meridian, Mississippi) is an American country music singer. Signed to Epic Records in 1995, Herndon made his debut that year with the Number One single "What Mattered Most", followed by the release of his first album, also entitled What Mattered Most. This album was followed one year later by Living in a Moment, which produced his second Number One country hit in its title track.

Herndon released three more albums for Epic — Big Hopes (1998), Steam (1999), and This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits (2000) — although none matched the success of his first two releases, and he was dropped from Epic in 2001. He recorded a Christmas album in 2002 for the Riviera label, followed by his fifth studio album (2007's Right About Now) and a second Christmas compilation for the Titan Pyramid label.

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" — and four additional Top Ten hits: "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Loved Too Much," "A Man Holding On (To a Woman Letting Go)" and "Hands of a Working Man."

Biography

Early career

Boyd Tyrone Herndon was born in Meridian, Mississippi, but raised in Butler, Alabama.^[1] He became involved in music as a teenager, playing the piano and singing Gospel music. Shortly after graduating high school, Herndon moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music. This did not prove to be easy, however, and after 10 years, he moved to Texas. He gained a loyal following on the Texas honkytonk circuit and, in 1993, Herndon won Texas Entertainer of the Year. Later that year, Herndon was signed to Epic Records.

Herndon made his chart debut in early 1995 with "What Mattered Most" which went to #1 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. This song served as the title track to his debut album, which was released in April 1995 and became a top 10 country album. The song was added to 133 radio stations' playlists in its first week, breaking a record set by Tracy Lawrence.^[2] The album itself debuted at #15 on Top Country Albums and #1 on Top Heatseekers, the highest debut for a country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus' Some Gave All in 1992.^[3] In addition, it had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records' Nashville division.^[4]

"I Want My Goodbye Back," the album's second single, peaked at #7. He won the Best New Artist Award at the 1995 Country Radio Music Awards and received various other nominations throughout the year. The album also produced two more singles: "Heart Half Empty" (a duet with Stephanie Bentley, who was also signed to Epic at the time) and "In Your Face", the latter of which failed to make Top 40. What Mattered Most was certified gold by the RIAA.

In July 1995, Herndon was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, at Gateway Park by an undercover male police officer who alleged that Herndon was soliciting sex.^[5][6] It was reported that Herndon exposed himself in front of the officer, although Herndon professed to be urinating. When taken into custody, he was also discovered to be in possession of 2.49 grams of methamphetamine. A plea bargain saw the singer sentenced to community service and drug rehabilitation, and the charge of indecent exposure was dropped.^[1][7]

Living in a Moment, Big Hopes and Steam

Herndon's second album, Living in a Moment debuted at #6 on the Top Country Albums charts.^[1] The album's leadoff single, which was its title track, also reached Number One on the country charts. After this song, he released the #2 "Loved Too Much," the #21 "She Wants to Be Wanted Again" (previously cut by Western Flyer), and the #17 "I Have to Surrender." This album also included a song called "I Know How the River Feels," later released as a single by two other artists: in 1999 by Diamond Rio from the album Unbelievable, and in 2000 by McAlyster.

Big Hopes, his third album, followed in 1998. The leadoff single, "A Man Holding On (To a Woman Letting Go)" reached Top 5, while the follow-up single "It Must Be Love" (featuring backing vocals from Doug Virden and Drew Womack, then members of Sons of the Desert) gave Herndon his third and final #1. The third single, "Hands of a Working Man," becoming his last Top 5.

In 1999, his fourth studio album, Steam, was released. The first single, the title track, was a Top 20 hit but did not see the same success as Herndon's other lead singles from his first three albums. "No Mercy" was released next in 2000 and peaked at #26, while two more singles from the album both failed to make Top 40.

Personal issues

By 2000, Herndon was no longer being played on radio and by 2002 he had stopped touring. Thus began both a professional and personal downward slide that included a divorce from his wife, bankruptcy, a weight gain of 75 pounds^[8], an attempted mugging in Los Angeles by three men at gunpoint^[9], a lawsuit from a California dentist claiming that Herndon had not paid for emergency dental work^[10] and another lawsuit from a former manager for breach of contract.^[11] In 2004, he entered a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility for the second time^[12].

Departure from Epic Records

In 2002, a new single titled "Heather's Wall" was released, peaking at #37 on the country charts. Although it was his highest charting single since "No Mercy" in 2000, its poor chart performance forced Herndon and his record executives to shelve the newly recorded album for which "Heather's Wall" would have served as lead single. Instead, Herndon put out a Greatest Hits compilation titled This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits. "A Few Short Years" was the only new track released from that album, and after it failed to enter Top 40, Herndon exited Epic's roster.

Herndon released a Christmas album, A Not So Silent Night, in 2002 through his fan club and official website. In 2003 the Christmas album was repackaged with additional content and released on the independent label Riviera/Liquid8 Records.^[1] Herndon was then signed to Titan Pyramid Records in 2006. On January 9, 2007, his album Right About Now was released^[1] — his first full studio album since 1999's Steam. Right About Now's title track was the first single released. However, both it and the followup, "Mighty Mighty Love" (previously recorded by Lila McCann), failed to reach the country charts. A second Christmas album followed later in 2007.

Philanthropy

Herndon has raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the Special Olympics and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program^[13]. He has also been involved with equine therapy for children.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Christmas albums

Singles

Other charted songs

Music videos

References

External links

• Ty Herndon Official Website