Ty Herndon Announces Inaugural Concert for Love and Acceptance

Ty Herndon is set to host the inaugural Concert for Love and Acceptance, bringing together artists and celebrities to support LGBT acceptance.

The event is set to take place during the 2015 CMA Music Festival, on June 12, at City Winery in Nashville. It is being co-sponsored by GLAAD.

“Music connects us and transcends our differences,” says GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “For the first time in Music City, artists will join together to voice support for the LGBT community and help us accelerate acceptance, not only in country music, but across the nation.”

Herndon came out as gay last year and received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans and fellow artists.

“I truly hoped that the day would come when I could host an event encouraging an environment that would make it easier for young people at risk to get help and feel comfortable about who they are, and not have to go through the same struggles that I have faced," Herndon says.

Meghan McCain, the daughter of Senator John McCain and a conservative columnist and author, will co-host the event with Herndon.

“I love anything that combines celebrating, music and drinking a little whiskey,” McCain tells Nashville's Tennessean. “My politics are important to me, but so is the LGBT movement and fighting for equal rights for all citizens of this country. My purpose with GLAAD is to bridge the cultural divide and communicate with those who don’t have the same ideas about marriage equality. I think that music is such an amazing way to communicate with people, too. I love the idea of throwing this concert to celebrate love and tolerance.”

Herndon is set to perform at the event, along with Jennifer Knapp, Billy Gilman, Jamie O'Neal, Shelly Fairchild and Melinda Doolittle. More artists will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are available at CityWinery.com.

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