TY HERNDON - How You Get To Heaven - Pivotal Records

With an overwhelmingly positive response on his latest alum Jacob, which included 54 weeks on the charts for its singles “Till You Get There” and “Dents On A Chevy,” Ty Herndon experienced a resurgence that has now led to the release of a deluxe edition of the album that features two new tracks, “Love Me Anyway” and “How You Get To Heaven.”

As the album conceptually as a whole transparently dug into Herndon’s own journey of faith, he now continues delving deeper into it with additional dynamics to the overall picture through each of these two new songs.

“How You Get To Heaven,” written by Jamie Floyd and Ken McMeans, leans a soft approach melodically against the true essence of the storytelling aspect that’s synonymous with country music’s foundations, as Herndon lends his heartfelt vocal to the story of the influence spurred by the grandpa who lived his life like a sermon.

“He never set foot in church, and he didn’t memorize a verse,” Herndon descriptively sings of his elder as he opens the song, setting in motion the picture painting lyrics that give you the full idea of who grandpa was; a praying man who knew right from wrong, was always kind by choice, and left a bold impression on our narrator’s heart as he describes through the very prolific chorus:

“It’s not where you go on Sunday

It’s what you do on Monday

Cause you can’t say you love your maker

If you can’t even love your neighbor

He said if you’re asking me

It’s ‘bout what you give not keep

And that’s how he believed

You get to heaven”

The truth about many churches is that they tend to be a place where hurt people end up even more wounded, often turning them away from a Sunday morning pew experience with a sting that stays embedded on their heart.

However, “How You Get To Heaven” stands as proof positive that God is everywhere with us and not just sitting next to us when we’re in church. That he meets us right where we’re at and uses who we are as difference makers to influence every aspect of our lives, from how we live our day to day to how we treat others; cleverly relaying the two greatest commandments shared in Matthew 22: 37-39.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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