Country singer Ty Herndon came out Tuesday, revealing publicly that he is gay.
"I'm an out, proud, and happy gay man," 51-year-old Herndon told People during an interview.
Herndon said he struggled with his sexuality throughout his career and was married twice to women before accepting his sexuality.
Public speculation about Herndon’s sexuality began in 1995, when he was arrested for allegedly exposing himself to an undercover policeman. The indecency charge was dropped, and Herndon checked himself in to a into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center after the incident.
The singer, whose songs include "What Mattered Most," "Living in a Moment," and "It Must Be Love," was set to
detail his experiences during an interview on "Entertainment Tonight" on Thursday.
His latest album, “Lies I Told Myself,” was released in 2013, and Herndon told Entertainment Tonight that the biggest lie he told himself was that he “couldn't be gay in country music.”
Herndon, who has been in a committed relationship for five years, said he would like to be married and have children one day.
"It gives me a lot of hope that that Nashville is ready for this,” Herndon said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “I get to be free today. I'm born again today, and I feel like I'm not gonna have any trouble sleeping tonight."
Country singer Chely Wright came out as gay in 2010.
Twitter users posted mixed reactions.
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