Ty Herndon topped the Billboard Country with "What Mattered Most," the inspirational ballad that was his debut single in 1995. Over the next few years, he was a regular presence in the Country Top Ten. His earnest delivery was a good match for the kind of streamlined country he sang -- music that didn't shun tradition but was aligned with the anthemic, rock-influenced arena-country pioneered by Garth Brooks at the dawn of the '90s. Herndon's hot streak quickly cooled after "Hands of a Working Man" reached number five in 1999, and his career entered a bumpy period that lasted for over a decade. He began to right himself in 2010, when he released the Dove-nominated gospel album Journey On, and a few years later, he established his legacy by becoming the first male country singer to come out as gay. After this 2014 disclosure, Herndon worked for LGBTQ organizations, including partnering with GLAAD for the annual Concert for Love And Acceptance, and continued to record, including re-recording his breakthrough "What Mattered Most" so its pronouns reflected his sexual orientation.