▁in ▁Mer id ian , ▁Mississippi , ▁but ▁raised ▁just ▁across ▁the ▁state ▁line ▁in ▁his ▁parents ' ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Butler , ▁Alabama . ▁He ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁music ▁as ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁playing ▁the ▁piano ▁and ▁singing ▁g ospel ▁music . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Austin ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Dec atur , ▁Alabama , ▁Her nd on ▁moved ▁to ▁Nash ville ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁music . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Texas ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁later . ▁Her nd on ▁was ▁originally ▁the ▁lead ▁vocal ist ▁of ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁River ▁Boys , ▁a ▁group ▁that ▁performed ▁at ▁the ▁O pr y land ▁USA ▁theme ▁park ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁which ▁later ▁evol ved ▁into ▁the ▁band ▁Diam ond ▁Rio . ▁He ▁left ▁the ▁band ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁comp ete ▁on ▁Star ▁Search . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Her nd on ▁won ▁Texas ▁Entertain er ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁Her nd on ▁was ▁signed ▁to ▁Ep ic ▁Records . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ 1 9 9 5 – 9 6 : ▁What ▁M atter ed ▁Most ▁ ▁Her nd on ▁made ▁his ▁chart ▁debut ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁with ▁" What ▁M atter ed ▁Most ", ▁which ▁went ▁to ▁number ▁one ▁on ▁the ▁Hot ▁Country ▁Singles ▁& ▁Tra cks ▁charts . ▁This ▁song ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁title ▁track ▁to ▁his ▁debut ▁album , ▁which ▁was ▁released