Ty Herndon & Billy Gilman Both Come Out, Country music took a big step on Thursday when two country singers, Ty Herndon and Billy Gilman, both publically came out.
Ty, best known for his '90s songs, "What Mattered Most," "Living in a Moment" and "It Must Be Love" opened up to People magazine.
"I'm an out, proud and happy gay man," the 52-year-old singer, who was previously married to two women, told the mag.The singer, who now has a longtime partner named Matt, told the mag that both of his ex-wives knew he was gay.
"I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. They've been my mistakes, and I own them," Ty explained. "I've done a lot of work around forgiveness with people that I've hurt and people I've not been honest with because of my sexuality."
The singer, who is planning to release an album in 2015, told the mag he is hopeful for the country music world's reception of LGBT individuals."I just want to show up for the causes that I believe in. And be able to walk down the street and hold this man's hand that will be my husband one day, and I know we'll have kids one day," he explained. "I'm still the same person. Fans just know a little more about me now."
Ty's coming out inspired 26-year-old singer Billy Gilman, who rose to fame when he was 11 for the song, "One Voice," to also come out on Thursday.
"It’s difficult for me to make this video, not because I’m ashamed of being a gay male artist, or a gay artist or a gay person, but it’s pretty silly to know that I’m ashamed of doing this knowing that I’m in a genre and an industry that’s ashamed of me for being me," Billy said in a video posted on YouTube.
-- Jesse Spero
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