"I don't know how many times HRC has honored a [Gospel Music Association's] Dove Award winner," said 2018 HRC Nashville Equality Dinner chair Eric Patton, "but we're doing it this year!"

The announcement—that HRC Nashville would honor country performer Ty Herndon with its 2018 Visibility Award—was made on the O&AN Facebook page, live on the evening of February 15th. The HRC Nashville Equality Dinner will take place March 17 at the Opryland Resort and Convention Center. 

"I'm so, so honored to be getting this award this year," Ty Herndon said. "It's just amazing. To be honored for the work that we've been doing the past couple years to change hearts and minds and to save lives in the LGBT community and to change legislation is just the top! It's better than my Oscar!"

"To be an out and proud gay, Christian man in country music and to put that word out there that we are strong and that we are changing hearts and minds as a community and with all of our allies as well, that's the only way that this planet is gonna get better," Herndon said.

Patton hinted at some of the silent auction items available at the event. "We got some really cool items," he said. "I picked up some Dolly swag yesterday. We have severe Dolly swag! We've got this antique barber's chair..." A live auction item of note comes from us, here at O&AN: "we're gonna have a week in Puerto Vallarta, thanks to the new publication [O&APV]," he said. A full week at Hotel Mercurio in Puerto Vallarta's Old Town neighborhood, steps away from the beach. American Airlines has contributed a return flight to the package.

The HRC Nashville Community Equality Award winner this year is Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce. "The work they've been doing around town lately has just been out of this world," said Patton. "This is their 20th year in Nashville. Lisa Howe and Ron Snitker, he's the new president, they've been working their tails off to make a difference in this city."