Bryan Ruby Recipient Of Foundation For Love & Acceptance Rising Star Award

“The Standouts (Heroes Version)” Live Performance Debut on Wildhorse Stage in Nashville at The Concert For Love & Acceptance

Photo Credit: Credit Jonah Van Bemmelen - Van Bem Photography

NASHVILLE, TN - (June 12, 2023) - Trailblazing singer/songwriter Bryan Ruby was the recipient of the Foundation For Love & Acceptance Rising Star Award presented by Grammy-Nominated and Dove Award-winning artist Ty Herndon, after Bryan and Ty performed the new single “The Standouts (Hereos Version),” for the first time in front of a live audience at the sold-out event at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville on Wednesday, June 7. "It is an honor to receive the Rising Star award from the Foundation For Love & Acceptance. I feel tremendously grateful to be coming of age during a time when it’s possible for people like me- whether they dream of playing professional baseball or singing country music- to live their truths," shared Bryan Ruby. "There’s nothing more empowering than visibility and representation, and I’m grateful for standouts like Ty Herndon and his foundation, who have worked hard to give a voice to our community in Nashville." “Bryan Ruby is proof positive that you can come to Nashville as your authentic self and be embraced for your talent and hard work. Selecting him as one of our Foundation For Love & Acceptance 2023 Rising Stars was an excellent and obvious choice. I look forward to seeing where he goes from here and I only see great things ahead!” shared Ty Herndon. Download and stream the new music here. The video for “The Standouts (Hereos Version)” is available to watch and stream online here. Watch the Concert For Love & Acceptance Livestream for free on YouTube and Facebook courtesy of Circle All Access: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/270203668815849/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJCztvYz8z0 “The Standouts” is a song that Bryan Ruby hopes will empower people to be the best versions of themselves possible, and that it unites different kinds of people together. He never wants anyone to be afraid of standing out from the crowd, no matter who they are. “Ty is a true ‘standout’ because he came out before it was cool in country music, showing people that it’s okay to be proud of who you are,” shared Bryan Ruby. “It is because of standouts like Ty that the next generation of country artists like me can be honest and sing authentically from the start of our careers. It’s an honor to have him as my duet partner on this song. Also, this song has taken on a life of its own since we originally released it last fall. We’ve got a ton of messages from different people telling us about the standouts in their lives, and I’m proud that the song has come to represent honest, hardworking people who are doing good in the world.” “When Bryan asked me to be a part of this song, I immediately said yes,” said Ty Herndon. “At a time when there are so many folks trying to divide us, this song demonstrates the values of love and acceptance - and respecting people for exactly who they are. The truth is, everyone, can be a standout in their own lives, and I hope this track inspires young and old alike to show up as their true, authentic selves. When that happens, we all win.” Stay current with Bryan Ruby by following him on his website at bryanrubymusic.com and his social media sites Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Also be sure to subscribe to watch videos on his official YouTube channel. Stream and download Bryan Ruby music on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and more. Stay current with Ty Herndon by following him on his website at www.tyherndon.com and his social media sites Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Also be sure to subscribe to watch videos on his official YouTube channel. Stream and download Ty Herndon music on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and more. About Bryan Ruby: Bryan Ruby is a rising country music artist and trailblazing professional baseball player based in Nashville, Tennessee. As a songwriter, Bryan has penned songs that have appeared on the Texas Country Top 50 chart and the iTunes Country Top 25 (#16), and songs he has written have been featured on both Huffington Post and People Magazine. As an artist, Bryan won Season 7 of the talent-search competition Nashville Rising Song, and released his debut single "Left Field" on June 8, 2022. The song was featured on The TODAY Show and added to rotation on SiriusXM Country Pride, as well as the Academy of Country Music's Ultimate Pride Playlist. With rich vocals and authentic storytelling on follow-up singles "Two For The Road" (August ‘22), "The Standouts" (October ‘22), "Christmas With You" (November ‘22) and "Baseball Country" (March ‘23). Bryan’s ‘expressive baritone’ (MusicRow Magazine) gives him a unique calling card in the up-and-coming Nashville country scene. Bryan recently released a special Pride Month tribute duet with trailblazing country music singer Ty Herndon.. Bryan made history in September 2021 when he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay at the time. The inspirational story was featured in USA Today as well as 100+ media outlets around the world, including CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report and Teen Vogue. He then founded Proud To Be In Baseball, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating, educating, & creating opportunities for the next generation of LGBTQ baseball players. A documentary on Bryan’s journey and the founding of Proud To Be In Baseball is currently in production. More information on the film will be available later in 2023. About Ty Herndon: Ty Herndon has lived a life and career of extreme highs and lows and for the first time brings his full journey from darkness to light and back again to his music with JACOB, a new album of highly personal songs touching on themes ranging from addiction, recovery, and mental fitness to lost love, self-discovery and personal freedom. Herndon burst onto the country music scene and made his chart debut in 1995 with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first No. 1 song and garnered a Song of the Year award (MusicRow Magazine). It was also the title track to his first album, which debuted on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records Nashville. Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon charted 17 singles, including his three No.1s and numerous top 10 hits, such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man Holding On” and “Hands of a Working Man.” He topped the charts in 1996 with the single “Living in a Moment” and again in 1998 with “It Must Be Love.” In 2014, Herndon became the first major male country artist to publicly come out as gay in an exclusive with People magazine. He received an outpouring of support that only strengthened his relationship with fans and the country music community, all while expanding his reach to new and diverse audiences. Shortly after, he made history when he hosted a first-of- its-kind country music event, The Concert for Love and Acceptance, now an annual event that provides a stage for LGBTQ and ally artists. In 2020, Herndon found himself back at No. 1 — this time on iTunes with his remake of “Orphans of God,” a collaboration with Kristin Chenoweth and Paul Cardall featured on his holiday release, Regifted. JACOB is his first album of all new music since 2016’s House on Fire. “Till You Get There,” the first single from the album, became Herndon’s first song to chart at country radio in more than 20 years, and a second single, “Dents on a Chevy,” a duet with fellow country artist Terri Clark, was shipped to radio in March 2023 and is currently moving up the charts. Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning Ty’s voice is stronger than it’s ever been, and he’s using it to make a difference. In 2020, he created the Foundation For Love & Acceptance to further his work on behalf of LGBTQ acceptance and lends his time and talent to MusiCares, which has supported Ty through his own struggles and supports those in the music industry with a safety net of services. In 2022, he joined Pivotal Moments Media as a Brand Ambassador and as the first artist signed to the organization’s new record label, Pivotal Records. About The Foundation For Love & Acceptance: Founded by Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning country music artist and philanthropist Ty Herndon, the Foundation for Love & Acceptance uses the power of music and media to support the country music community and raise vital funds to support LGBTQ youth and families. For more information, visit www.F4LA.org.

Bryan Ruby and Ty Herndon

Photo Credit: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for GLAAD