Ty Herndon Fans Are Excited To Read His New Book

I have been working in country radio for almost thirty years and I always tell people that I came to country music late. When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, I wasn't a country fan at all. In the late 70s, I was loving me some disco. You should have seen me rocking out to Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park" at the Thruston Elementary School Fall Festival. No one puts this baby in a corner and no one leaves his cake out in the rain.

In the 80s, I was obsessed with America's Top 40 hosted by Casey Kasem and I was fully, even obnoxiously immersed in 80s pop and rock.

READ MORE: Why Some People Are Turning Back to CDs for Music Enjoyment

Then, in late 1997, I moved from San Diego, California back to my hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky. Within a few months of my return, I landed a job at 92.5 WBKR and was quickly thrown into the world of country. And, you know what? I loved it. Almost instantly.

Back then, I had a couple of favorites right out of the gates. I was obsessed with Mindy McCready. Her album- If I Don't Stay The Night- holds the distinction of the very first country album I ever purchased. To this day, I love it.

My favorite male singer at the time was Ty Herndon.

In fact, his Top 5 hit "A Man Holdin' On (to a Woman Letting Go)" was on the charts right around the time I rolled back into Owensboro and started working in country music.

I'm not sure if the timing of that is why that song is still one of my favorite country songs of all time. It's possible, I suppose. Often times, your introduction to or first taste of something is regarded as one of the best, one of the sweetest. That song has certainly stuck with me since I first heard it. I still find myself humming and singing it. All these years later, I remain in love with it.

I'm also in love with this. Ty Herndon is back. Just about a week ago, he released a brand new book called What Mattered Most: A Memoir.

This is Ty's story. All of it. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly. I cannot wait to sit down with it and dive into it.

Here's a quick synopsis of the book:

An intimate, often hilarious but always sincere memoir from country legend Ty Herndon on his struggles with addiction, mental health, his career, relationships, and being the first openly gay male country superstar.

Look! I, like many Ty Herndon fans, was astutely aware of his struggles. Honestly, I had pieced together what was going on before he confirmed it. There are parts of myself I immediately recognized in Ty. I completely understand and relate to that tug-of-war about what to share, how much, and when. Unfortunately, for Ty, it was crippling.

As a fan, I know that some of the gritty details of his book will eclipse his music a bit. But, it's important to remember this. His country career was on fire in the mid to late 90s. I mean, his autobiography is named after his very first single- "What Mattered Most"- which climbed all the way to #1 on the Billboard Country Chart.

He knocked down two more #1s with . . .

and

I LOVE THAT SONG!!

Speaking frankly, it's been 25 years since Ty Herndon had a Top 40 song. You have to go all the way back to 2001 when he released "Heather's Wall," a song that struggled to peak at #37. The odds of a chart and radio resurgence today just aren't in Ty's favor.

However, as a longtime fan, I am happy he's stepping back into the spotlight to address everything that knocked him out of it. Do yourself a favor. Give Ty and his music a second chance. I think you're going to love it. Coincidentally, his last Top 10 song was called "Hands of a Working Man." Ty's got the voice and story of one too.