Country artist Ty Herndon’s annual Concert for Love & Acceptance will go on despite the COVID-19 crisis. Now in its sixth year, the concert will take place online Tuesday, June 30, at 7 p.m. Country star Tanya Tucker will kick off the live-streamed charity event on YouTube and Facebook as well as at Herndon’s Foundation for Love & Acceptance website. GLAAD and ACM Lifting Lives® are the beneficiaries of event proceeds. 

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth and CMT’s Cody Alan will serve as co-hosts of the free event. Additional appearances and performances will be announced in the coming days. 

“With Pride events cancelled or postponed around the country – including here in Nashville – we couldn’t let the month pass without sending a strong message of love and acceptance to our LGBTQ youth and families,” Herndon said. “I’m excited to be able to partner with ACM Lifting Lives® and GLAAD to raise valuable resources for their important initiatives.” 

Fans will be able to engage with the show during the livestream, and the concert will be available to view online afterwards.

“We’re disappointed that we can’t stage the show in Nashville as we always have, but we’re hopeful that we will be able to use this opportunity to reach more country music fans than ever with our message of love and acceptance for LGBTQ people,” said co-executive producer Zeke Stokes. “Nonetheless, our plan is to be back with a live event in 2021, and we can’t wait.”

GLAAD and Herndon created the first Concert for Love & Acceptance in 2015 shortly after Herndon became the first male country artist to come out as gay. Previous event appearances and performances have included Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, Chris Daughtry, Terri Clark, Crystal Gayle, Cassadee Pope, Chely Wright and many others.

For more information about the Foundation for Love & Acceptance visit www.f4la.org.

This article has been supported by a grant from the Facebook Journalism Project for COVID-19 coverage.