Country singer Ty Herndon changes the pronouns in his 1995 hit: NPR

Since arriving gay in 2014, Ty Herndon has changed all female pronouns from her song "What Mattered Most" into male pronouns.

Jeremy Ryan / Courtesy of the artist

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Jeremy Ryan / Courtesy of the artist

Since arriving gay in 2014, Ty Herndon has changed all female pronouns from her song "What Mattered Most" into male pronouns.

Jeremy Ryan / Courtesy of the artist

In February 1995, Nashville-based country singer Ty Herndon released "What Mattered Most," a love song about a woman. "I thought I knew the girl so well," sings Herndon up the track. "If she was sad, I could not say it." In May 95, the single n ° 1 on Display panelHot Country Graphic Songs. Now, more than 20 years later, Herndon is reissuing his single with some updates.

Herndon came out gay in 2014 and this year, to coincide with the month of pride, he re-releases his hit with lyrics updated to match his true identity.

"I thought I knew the boy so well, he was sad, I can not say," sings Herndon in the new version of the song. What used to be "his eyes are blue / his hair is long" has become "his eyes are blue / his hair is long". In short, all previously female pronouns in the song have been changed to male pronouns.

But for Herndon, this re-editing process meant more than just exchanging certain words. "One of my rules has always been that if I did not experience it, I do not sing it," says Herndon.

Herndon used to follow this rule thinking of his father and mother when he was interpreting the original version of "What mattered most". He says that by recalling their "great love story", the trick was played … for the most part.

"That's how I made it alive and breathable when it ran," says Herndon. "But at the time, I was also in a relationship with a handsome boy, his hair was long and his eyes were blue, so I thought about him a lot."

The change in the song's update makes sense for Herndon and her fans. Herndon has decided to revisit his success of the 90s based in part on the feelings expressed by young potential listeners of the campaign. "When I go there and talk to kids, I hear all the time, they are like – especially LGBT kids -" We really want to love country music, but we do not think that Country music loves us. "

According to Herndon, the Nashville scene is changing. He found it when he aroused a reaction of support from fans and friends. "I was really ready to leave everything, but I did not have to do it," he says. Now, Herndon feels responsible for showing these children that they "do not have to fear".

"It starts with me," he says. "It starts with the artists who have been there."

Herndon can personally hear the profound difference between the old and the new version of the song. "I sat down and listened to them carefully, and I can tell you: there was a child singing the other song.There was a much more emotional adult man and living in his authentic skin that was singing this song song. "

Christina Cala edited this audio for broadcast.