The initial lineup for this years Concert for Love & Acceptance, co-hosted by country star Ty Herndon and CMTs Cody Alan, will include a special acoustic performance by rock & roll frontman Daughtry, country newcomer Harper Grae and trailblazing musician Chely Wright, who made history in 2010 as country musics first out artist. Presented in association with GLAAD, the worlds largest LGBTQ media advocacy group, the 2019 Concert for Love & Acceptance is set for June 6th at Nashvilles Wildhorse Saloon.
I am so excited to have my friend Chely Wright performing with us for the first time at the Concert for Love & Acceptance, Herndon says in a statement. Without her pioneering courage, the path to being out and accepted or even an LGBTQ ally in country music would have been much longer and harder. All of us owe her a great deal of gratitude and admiration.
Since its inaugural event in 2015, which kicked off GLAADs Southern Stories Tour, the Concert for Love & Acceptance has included the participation of Country Music Hall of Fame members Reba McEntire and Vince Gill and legends Crystal Gayle, Tanya Tucker and Terri Clark, as well as Nashville actor and singer Chris Carmack, out country artist Billy Gilman, Michael Ray, Cassadee Pope, Calum Scott, Meghan Lindsey, Mickey Guyton and Thompson Square.
At 2018s Concert for Love & Acceptance, GLAAD also announced the Ty Herndon Rising Stars Grant, to be bestowed upon young people for their commitment to enhancing LGBTQ inclusion and representation in music. Applications for the grant, eligible to LGBTQ young people working to accelerate acceptance in the music industry, will be available later this month.