Dasha, Ingrid Andress, David Archuleta, Matt Bloyd, Jada Cato, Brooke Eden, Lindsay Ell, Shelly Fairchild, Melissa Greene, Tiera Kennedy, Kimberley Locke, The Kentucky Gentleman, Michael Passons, Maggie Rose, Morgxn, Runaway June, Kalie Shorr, and Sam Williams will Join Herndon and GLAAD for a Powerful Night of Music and Unity
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(Nashville, TN – May 28, 2025) — With just days to go before the curtain rises, groundbreaking country artist Ty Herndon, in partnership with GLAAD, today revealed the full lineup of artists set to take the stage for the historic 10th and final Concert for Love & Acceptance, set for Monday, June 2 at 7:30 PM at Category 10 in downtown Nashville.
Dasha, Ingrid Andress, David Archuleta, Matt Bloyd, Jada Cato, Brooke Eden, Lindsay Ell, Shelly Fairchild, Melissa Greene, Tiera Kennedy, Kimberley Locke, The Kentucky Gentleman, Michael Passons, Maggie Rose, Morgxn, Runaway June, Kalie Shorr, and Sam Williams will take the stage for a powerful night of music and unity. Additional surprise guests and appearances are expected.
“What started as a hopeful call for a more inclusive country music community has grown into something bigger than I ever imagined,” said Herndon. “For the past 10 years, the Concert for Love & Acceptance has been a place where artists and fans come together to celebrate community, visibility and a brighter future ahead..This tenth anniversary will be our most powerful yet—and while it’s the final time I host this event in its current form, I know the mission will live on in every person we’ve touched along the way.”
To read Herndon’s full piece on why he has made this the event’s final year, click here.
Founded in 2015 in partnership with GLAAD, the Concert for Love & Acceptance quickly became a cornerstone of CMA Fest week, spotlighting LGBTQ artists and allies in country music while raising visibility for mental health, addiction recovery, and inclusion in the genre. Since then, it has featured performances and appearances by dozens of artists and influencers including Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, Kristin Chenoweth, Brothers Osborne, Terri Clark, Cody Alan, Chely Wright, Hunter Hayes, Michael Ray, Lee Brice, Mickey Guyton, and many more.
The 2025 concert also marks a major milestone in Herndon’s life and career: the thirtieth anniversary of his debut hit “What Mattered Most” and a full-circle moment in his journey as an artist, survivor, and trailblazer. In 2014, Herndon became the first major male country artist to come out publicly as gay—breaking barriers that once seemed immovable.
“Country music is my home,” Herndon added. “I’ve been on every side of the journey—struggling, surviving, and thriving. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, and I believe the next decade of change belongs to a new generation of voices ready to carry the message of love and acceptance even further.”
Presented by Music City PrEP Clinic, Rooted Recovery Stories with Patrick Custer, Southern Pride Process, with additional support from Chris Watson Travel, this final installment of the concert series will benefit the work of the Foundation for Love & Acceptance. Founded by Herndon, the Foundation provides support for LGBTQ youth, mental health education, addiction recovery, and suicide prevention through partnerships with organizations like GLAAD, MusiCares, and ACM Lifting Lives.
Tickets are available now at www.F4LA.org.
ABOUT GLAAD:
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and spark dialogue that drives cultural change. The organization works to protect the progress that has been made and create a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, visit www.glaad.org or follow GLAAD on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
ABOUT TY HERNDON:
Ty Herndon has lived a life and career marked by extraordinary highs and lows, and in 2025 celebrates a landmark moment as his breakthrough debut single “What Mattered Most” turns 30. Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon charted 17 singles, including three No. 1 hits and a string of Top 10 favorites such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man Holding On,” and “Hands of a Working Man.” He reached the top of the charts again in 1996 with “Living in a Moment” and in 1998 with “It Must Be Love.” Over the following decade, Herndon continued to break new ground with the release of a Greatest Hits collection and the albums Right About Now, Lies I Told Myself, and the Grammy-nominated Journey On. In 2015, he made history as the first major male country artist to come out as gay, and has since released the acclaimed albums House on Fire and Got It Covered, as well as launching the annual Concert for Love & Acceptance. His 2022 album JACOB produced the country radio singles “Till You Get There” and “Dents on a Chevy,” a duet with Terri Clark that spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the independent country charts, becoming the top independent country single of 2023. For more information, visit www.tyherndon.com.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR LOVE & ACCEPTANCE:
Founded by Ty Herndon, the Foundation for Love & Acceptance is dedicated to using the power of music and media to advance mental health support, addiction recovery, and inclusion for LGBTQ+ and other at-risk youth, while fostering unity within the country music community. Beneficiaries of the Foundation’s work include GLAAD, MusiCares, ACM Lifting Lives, the Oasis LGBTQ+ Youth Center in Nashville, Bianca Page Day, and more. In 2021, the Foundation partnered with education leader EVERFI to launch a mental wellness education initiative, reaching students in over 300 schools across Mississippi, Kansas, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
