Boyd Tyrone Herndon is an American country music singer and songwriter. His music career began in the 1980s as a member of the Tennessee River Boys, a predecessor to the country band Diamond Rio. Herndon quit the band early on and gained his first national exposure as a competitor on Star Search. He then played at various honky-tonks in Texas. After signing to Epic Records in 1993, Herndon made his debut in 1995 with his number-one single, "What Mattered Most". This was followed that same year by the release of his first album, also titled What Mattered Most.
Smoke Rings in the Dark is the third studio album by American country music singer Gary Allan. It was released on October 26, 1999, as his first album for MCA Records Nashville after leaving Decca Records Nashville. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA, and it produced three singles: the title track, "Lovin' You Against My Will", and "Right Where I Need to Be", which respectively reached number 12, number 34 and number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. "Right Where I Need to Be" was also Allan's first Top 5 country hit and his third Top 10.
Western Flyer was an American country music band founded in 1992 by Danny Myrick, Chris Marion, T. J. Klay, Bruce Gust, Steve Charles, and Roger Helton. The band released two albums for Step One Records, as well as six singles. Their highest peaking single is "What Will You Do with M-E?", which reached No. 32 on the Billboard country charts in 1996. After Western Flyer disbanded, Marion joined the Little River Band, and Myrick began writing songs for other artists.
Sons of the Desert was an American country music band founded in 1989 in Waco, Texas. Its most famous lineup consisted of brothers Drew Womack and Tim Womack, along with Scott Saunders (keyboards), Doug Virden, and Brian Westrum (drums). The band released Whatever Comes First for Epic Records Nashville in 1997, and recorded a second album for Epic which was not released. Change followed in 2000. Counting two singles from the unreleased album, Sons of the Desert charted eight times on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top ten hit "Whatever Comes First"; they were also guest vocalists on Lee Ann Womack's 2000 hit "I Hope You Dance" and Ty Herndon's "It Must Be Love", both of which reached No. 1 on that chart. Following the band's disestablishment, Drew Womack became a solo artist; he would join Lonestar in 2021.
What Mattered Most is the debut studio album by American country music artist Ty Herndon, issued in 1995 on Epic Records. The album's title track, which was Herndon's debut single, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in mid-1995. Other singles from the album were, in order, "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Heart Half Empty" and "In Your Face." Doug Johnson produced the entire album, with additional production from Ed Seay on "Heart Half Empty".
Whatever Comes First is the debut studio album by American country music band Sons of the Desert. The album was released in 1997 on Epic Records. It produced three singles for them on the Billboard country singles charts: the Top Ten "Whatever Comes First", as well as "Leaving October" and "Hand of Fate". All of which, reached the Top 40 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Big Hopes is the third studio album by American country music artist Ty Herndon. It features the singles "A Man Holding On ", "It Must Be Love", and "Hands of a Working Man". These songs peaked at #5, #1, and #5, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. "It Must Be Love" was his third and final Number One on the country charts, while "Hands of a Working Man" was his last Top Ten.
Change is the second and final studio album by American country music band Sons of the Desert. It was released in 2000 on MCA Nashville, and contains the singles "Change", "Everybody's Gotta Grow up Sometime" and "What I Did Right". "Albuquerque" was originally recorded by the band in the late 1990s for an unreleased second album for Epic Records, their former label.
Twice Upon a Time is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Joe Diffie. It was released on April 22, 1997, through Epic Records. Singles released from the album include "This Is Your Brain", "Somethin' Like This", and "The Promised Land", which respectively reached #25, #40, and #61 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. "The Promised Land" was also the second single of Diffie's career to miss Top 40 entirely, and this was also the first album of his career not to produce a Top 10 hit. Furthermore, the album did not earn an RIAA certification. Also included is "I Got a Feelin'", which was originally recorded by Tracy Lawrence on his 1994 album I See It Now.
Hopechest is the only studio album by American country music artist Stephanie Bentley. It was released on January 9, 1996 via Epic Records Nashville and it accounted for four singles, in addition to reprising a single from Ty Herndon's debut album What Mattered Most on which Bentley provided duet vocals. The album reached a peak of 60 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums charts.
My Turn is the eleventh studio album released by American country music artist Doug Stone. It is also his second album for Lofton Creek Records. The album produced the singles "Nice Problem" and "She Always Get What She Wants", neither of which charted on the Billboard country charts. The third single, "Don't Tell Mama", was previously recorded by Ty Herndon on his 1996 album Living in a Moment and Gary Allan on his 1999 album Smoke Rings in the Dark. and Frankie Ballard on his 2014 album Sunshine & Whiskey.
"What Mattered Most" is a song written by Gary Burr and Vince Melamed, and recorded by American country music singer Ty Herndon. It was released in February 1995 as Herndon's debut single and served as the lead single and title track from his debut album What Mattered Most. It became Herndon's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Heart Like a Hurricane is the second studio album by the American country music singer Larry Stewart and second release after his 1991 departure from the band Restless Heart. Three singles were released from this album: "Heart Like a Hurricane", "Losing Your Love" and "Rockin' the Rock". Although none of the three fell entered the Top 40 on the Billboard US country charts, "Losing Your Love" was a #21 on the RPM country charts in Canada. Ty Herndon recorded "She Wants to Be Wanted Again" on his 1996 album Living in a Moment and released it as a single that year. "Losing Your Love" was originally recorded by Vince Gill on his 1987 album The Way Back Home.
Love Is is the second album released by American country music artist Kevin Sharp. The only single released from the album, "If She Only Knew", failed to reach the top 40 in the charts while the album itself reached number 36 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. "Her Heart Is Only Human" was originally recorded by Ty Herndon on his 1996 album Living in a Moment.
"I Want My Goodbye Back" is a song written by Pat Bunch, Doug Johnson and Dave Berg, and recorded by American country music artist Ty Herndon. It was released in June 1995 as the second single from his debut album, What Mattered Most. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1995.
"She Wants to Be Wanted Again" is a song written by Billy Henderson and Steven Dale Jones. It was first recorded in 1992 by Lee Greenwood for his album Love's on the Way, then by Larry Stewart for his 1994 album Heart Like a Hurricane, and Western Flyer on their 1996 album Back in America.
"I Know How the River Feels" is a song written by Steven Dale Jones and Amy Powers. First recorded by Ty Herndon, it has been released as a single by both Diamond Rio and McAlyster.
Doug Johnson is an American record producer and songwriter. He began in the 1970s working as an engineer and mixer for the Lowery Group. His first production credit was for The Burch Sisters, an act which signed with Mercury Nashville in 1988. A year later, Johnson helped Doug Stone secure a contract with Epic Records. While at Epic, Johnson became the vice president of A&R, helping the label to sign Patty Loveless while producing for Ty Herndon, John Michael Montgomery, and others. Johnson also assembled the members of the Gibson/Miller Band, which recorded two albums for Epic. He was promoted to senior vice president of the label in 1994, then moved to Giant Records in 1997, becoming president of that label. Johnson also produces and co-writes for Lee Brice.
Fletcher Bangs "Biff" Watson is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. His musicianship has been a part of recording sessions for many artists.
Larry Alvin Franklin is an American fiddler, mandolin and guitar player, session musician, and composer. His style embraces country, blues, rock and roll, jazz, and Western swing.
