{"key":"63324","name":"Wayne Watson","bio":"A native of Wisner, Louisiana, CCM singer\/songwriter Wayne Watson originally planned to pursue a career playing baseball, but while in college he began dabbling in music, and after graduation regularly performed in area churches. While leading worship at a Christian youth camp, the father of one of the children videotaped Watson's performance and sent it to a Nashville industry rep; his debut LP, Workin' in the Final Hour, followed in 1980. A series of albums like 1982's New Lives for Old, 1984's Man in the Middle and 1985's Giants in the Land followed before his breakthrough record, the Grammy-nominated Watercolor Ponies, appeared in 1987; Watson also notched well over a dozen Dove Award nominations, and launched a number of CCM chart-toppers including \"The Class of '95,\" \"Be in Her Eyes,\" \"A Beautiful Place.\" \"Walk in the Dark,\" \"More of You,\" \"It's Time,\" \"Home Free\" and \"Almighty.\" In 1995 he signed to Warner\/Alliance to issue Field of Souls; The Way Home followed three years later. Appropriately, his song \"For Such a Time as This\" was used as the theme for the 1999 season premiere of CBS's popular series Touched by an Angel, reflecting Watson's own growing popularity in the secular music arena. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/63324_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3479","name":"Kathy Troccoli","bio":"Kathy Troccoli (born Kathleen Colleen Troccoli - 24 June 1958 - Brooklyn, New York, USA) is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.Nalle assisted Troccoli in her career, helping the young artist record demos which would be given to Michael Blanton and Dan Harrell (Amy Grant's brother-in-law), who formed the Reunion label to start her career in 1982 with Stubborn Love, A second album, Heart and Soul, was released in 1984 and gave her first Grammy nomination a year later, followed by Images in 1986. Troccoli also provided backing vocal for Taylor Dayne's song \"I'll Be Your Shelter\" in 1989\/1990.Miss Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in the East Islip community in Long Island, and graduated from East Islip High School, where as a senior, fellow classmates included fellow CCM artist Margaret Becker (a junior) and three-sport star Norman Esiason, Jr, a freshman. At 15, she lost her father to colon cancer. She also lost her mother to breast cancer in 1991, shortly before her album, Pure Attraction, hit the shelves with her number one mainstream hit, \"Everything Changes\". Before this album came out, she had taken a five year break from the music world to do some \"soul searching\" and deal with her bulimia.After her mother's death, she paired with Reunion again in 1991 with Pure Attraction, which launched her on the national charts was \"Everything Changes.\" But ironically, it was \"Help Myself To You\" which became her first #1 hit in her ten-year career, and began a string of GMA Music Awards nominations, including numerous attempts at Female Vocalist.Numerous hit songs came afterwards, including 1994's \"My Life Is in Your Hands\", a song written with Bill Montvilo which defined her career, and inspired the eponymous devotional book, written in 1997, and 1995's \"Go Light Your World,\" which gave us the rise of writer Chris Rice, and was used for charity efforts that year.In 1996, Troccoli was featured on the Beach Boys' now out-of-print album \"Stars and Stripes Vol. 1\" singing lead vocals on a cover of their 1969 song \"I Can Hear Music\" (itself a cover of a Phil Spector song). The Beach Boys sing on the track as well, providing harmonies and backing vocals.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3479_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3471","name":"Geoff Moore","bio":"Geoff Moore was the lead singer of the Christian band \"Geoff Moore and the Distance\" which produced a number of albums starting in 1987 through to the late 90s. Best known for a soft rock style, Geoffs lyrics are clear and deal frequently with down to earth issues related to growing and maturing as a person and as a Christian.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3471_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3510","name":"Susan Ashton","bio":"1991-1993In 1991, she released her debut album, Wakened by the Wind, which became the top-selling debut in the history of the Sparrow Records label, with Ashton repeatedly reaching number one in the Christian charts that year. She was nominated for a Dove award for New Artist of the Year and won a CCM readers and reporters poll for Best New Artist. Ashton claimed that her fondest memories with Sparrow Records were during the recording of her first album, \"That was so special and since I was so young and green, there was a real innocence in that process that's still beautiful to me. I can listen to anything on that record, and it's all very clear with distinct emotions attached to making it. I love everything about the lyrics, musicianship and instrumentation. There's one song, \"No One Knows My Heart,\" where the drummer played a shoebox. On \"Suffer in Silence,\" one of the instruments credited was a \"pencil guitar.\"In 1992, her second album, Angels of Mercy, produced four CCM number one singles and was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Pop Gospel Album category.On her eponymous 1993 release, Ashton was quoted during the recording of the album track \"Heart Like a Rock, \"I was messing around doing vocals and singing along trying to sound like an electric guitar. We actually recorded it and that sound of me imitating the guitar is still kept in the final record. There was so much fun stuff on all those records and they were all a reflection of growth and maturity and life experience through those years.\"Ashton won the 1993 CCM readers award for Favorite Inspirational Album and a reporters poll for Best Female Artist. Later that year, she married John David Cunningham.1994-1997In 1994, Ashton, in collaboration with CCM artists Margaret Becker and Out of the Grey's Christine Dent\u00e9, released a trio album Along the Road. The title track is a remake of the composition by Dan Fogelberg, while the remaining songs are original to this album. Lead vocals are split evenly among the three singers.Also in 1994, Garth Brooks approached Ashton to open for him on his European Tour. She stated in 2005,\"I did a leg of his '94 European tour, but we weren't playing to his largest crowds. But there was still something very special about his audience. Initially I was a little nerve-wracked, worrying they'd boo me off the stage, but I got a wonderful response. I was also really nervous about meeting him, but he was so nice and supportive. He told me if there was anything I ever needed, just to let him know.\"So Far\u2026 The Best of Susan Ashton Volume 1, an album of mostly previously released singles, was released in 1995, and featured a newly recorded track entitled \"Stand.\"A Distant Call was released in 1996. This album included two songs co-written by Sheryl Crow, and one with the late Kevin Gilbert who wrote many hit songs for Crow. Wayne Kirkpatrick once again provided significant songwriting for the album, co-writing several songs with Ashton. Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith also provided co-writing credits on one song each. Alison Krauss provided background vocals for \"Love Profound.\" Garth Brooks would release his own version of Ashton's single \"You Move Me\" on his own album \"Sevens\" the following year, which became an international hit.Ashton provided vocals along with Collin Raye for the 1997 Jim Brickman single \"The Gift\", from Brickman's album of the same name. That single was number one on the pop charts for three consecutive weeks.1997-2003In 1999, Capital released her first non-CCM album Closer. She reached the country music charts with \"You're Lucky I Love You,\" which peaked at No. 38. Included on this album is Ashton's cover of Can't Cry Hard Enough, a song previously covered by Julie Miller. This album was not a commercial success. When asked about this, Ashton responded in 2005, \"My perspective is that it did not turn out what I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be a great country record because I'm from Texas and I love that music. But the producers I was working with\u2014who I wholeheartedly believed wanted the best for me\u2014loved my Christian records , and they were trying to emulate those a little bit. I'm proud of those records, but they aren't country records.\" Song writing for this album includes Kim Richey, Matraca Berg, Bill Mann and Diane Warren. Ashton only co-wrote one song. Closer was produced by Emory Gordy, Jr., husband and producer to Patty Loveless.Around this time, Ashton and her husband divorced.Ashton widened her audience even further when, in 2000, she debuted on the PBS music television program Austin City Limits.A second album for Capital was recorded, but the album was shelved and has never been released (although the first single \"She Is\", was released). Ashton has stated, \"I spent three years making a follow-up record for Capitol and then early last year they dropped me from the label. So I've spent the last year being a nanny, sitting, waiting and hearing what God wants me to do with my life. It was really difficult, but at the same time I've I needed some healing and clarity. This past year has been really emotional and ultimately turned out really good. I think I was probably aware that I was going to lose my deal, but it's a whole different story knowing you're going to lose it and then actually having it be gone.\" This interview came after years of silence from Ashton.2005-2009In 2005 Ashton released a second trio album. Originally released only in Australia and Europe as Kisses from Heaven, the album was eventually released in the United States as Lost in Wonder: Voices of Worship. This album was recorded with Michelle Tumes and Christine Dent\u00e9. The album was conceived in 2003. When asked how the project came about, Ashton replied, \"About two years ago I became friends with John Hartley. Before I lost my record deal, I was asked to sing some demos for what would become a worship project releasing in England. When I lost my deal, John asked if I would still be interested in continuing with the project. God had been healing me, growing me and helping me find my center again, and this seemed to fit as part of his plan.\" Ashton did not record the vocals in person with Dent\u00e9 and Tumes. The three were only together for the cover's photo shoot.In 2006 Sparrow Records released Susan Ashton: The Ultimate Collection, a two-CD set of previously released material.Ashton started a myspace.com page in 2006, on which she posted two demo versions of new songs.In 2009, she appeared on Collin Raye's album Never Going Back, sing a duet with Raye on a cover of \"Without You\".2013-presentOn March 5, 2013, Ashton released Thief, a self-distributed six-song EP. This marks her return to the music business.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3510_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3476","name":"Margaret Becker","bio":"Margaret has been a singer-songwriter since 1987, with twenty number one singles, four Grammy Nominations, four Dove Awards, seven Songwriter of the Year awards, countless tours around the world and two books to her credit. Other Dreams have fared well. From her first number one single as a producer on another artist, Kelly Minter, This Is My Offering, to the successful launch of her own publishing company (Modernm \u2013with placements on EMI, Provident, and Word), Becker has shown that chasing dreams can last a lifetime.Margaret Becker, an award-winning artist and the recipient of Europe's 2003 Lumi\u00e9re du Monde Award for public service, equips the poets. The dreamers. The thinkers. She works to bring people together locally to fashion inspiration that changes humanity globally. Dubbed an iconoclast, a lightning rod and an anomaly, Margaret has spent her career encouraging and empowering persons seeking to work creatively to make a difference in the world. Though most came to know her through her music, it has been through the expanded opportunities of speaking, book writing and teaching that have allowed Margaret to continue to grow in her career as a leader.Sharpening her role as a communicator, Margaret has spent the last few years expanding her emphasis as a keynote event speaker and workshop facilitator. She illustrates through her leadership the power of art to drive people toward deeper Christian faith, service and creativity. With vivacious personality and an exhorting manner, Margaret effectively calls people to greater awareness of themselves, but also regarding global concerns, such as the pandemic problem of AIDS and global poverty.\"A key element of what good art is to me is its ability to change people, to move them toward doing something they wouldn't normally do,\" she says. And that's what she hopes to achieve, for herself and those she encounters.She started out as a recording artist, spending the preponderance of her career with EMI's Sparrow Records. Across 10 albums\u2014and still counting\u2014she's accumulated four Dove Awards, four Grammy nominations and 20 No. 1 radio hits. She's been named songwriter of the year by American Songwriter magazine, the same honor she's received seven times from the performance rights organization SESAC. Every honor is a cherished one for this prolific songwriter who sings with an enviable voice and fashions a presence that's at once humble and captivating.But helping people achieve fulfilling lives drives her, and Margaret's leadership here is remarkable. She has dedicated herself, as a mentor and record producer, to leading young artists toward creative excellence. Further, Margaret has worked as a guest lecturer on the arts to the Gospel Music Association's Academy of Arts and serves on the boards of the Sparrow Foundation and of the East Nashville Center for the Creative Arts. She's the author of three books\u2014 the elegant memoir With New Eyes (Harvest House-1999), Growing Up Together (Harvest House-2000), and Braving the Elements: (RandomHouse\/Waterbrook Press, 2004), which describes living from one personal gifts, outward. She's been tapped as a lecturer to university students, pastors, business leaders and congregations.An entrepreneur, Margaret established her music publishing company, Modernm, in 2003, where Margaret's career also reached an unprecedented crescendo. For her extensive global advocacy work, the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe awarded her the first-ever Lumi\u00e9re du Monde Award. The phrase is French for \"light of the world,\" and the trophy honors a public figure using their platform to help make the world a better place. The Convocation recognized Margaret as one who communicates peace and justice hand-in-hand with her message of God's mercy. She's spoken out against apartheid in South Africa, railed against violence in Northern Ireland and pitched for decent and affordable housing in the United States, eventually linking arms with organizations like Compassion International and Habitat for Humanity.Since 1993 she's partnered with World Vision, a Seattle-based global relief agency, traveling to Third World countries to see firsthand the organization's work, then tirelessly serving as its spokesperson to thousands. While advocating individual child sponsorships, Margaret's worked extensively to promote World Vision's 30 Hour Famine, a program aimed at raising the consciousness of young people to the issue of poverty. Her involvement helped propel the program's participation level 400 percent during the first three years of her endorsement. She's recently invested still further in World Vision, embracing its Hope Child Initiative, a program coming alongside African children affected by the HIV\/AIDS, and serves as a liaison to DATA (Debt, Trade, Aids, Africa) for grappling with the HIV\/AID pandemic. Her efforts include meeting with Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) regarding AIDS and has worked to encourage President Bush to release the assistance he promised to Africa in 2003.Margaret recently conceived and launched on behalf of World Vision the Orange Fund, which is a fund that collects and distributes both money and resources to the areas most in need and least funded in the African AIDS crisis.Having lived so much of her professional and spiritual life in public view, Margaret has gained unique credibility now enabling her to be a guide in people's lives.Like a lush tree where people rest on the strength of mature branches and find shelter under its broad leaves, it's Margaret's desire to help people find what they need from that nurturing place.\"To empower and encourage people.\" It's what she deems her life mission. And it seems that here, in her continuation of 17 years as a venerable public figure, she is doing just that.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3476_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3739","name":"Bryan Duncan","bio":"Bryan Duncan has been around for a long time! The 70's was his hey-day. He sings rocking Christian SOUL! He's got a solid Christian groove. He has an enthusiastic sound that encourages the Christian in his daily battle!Bryan Duncan (born on March 16, 1953 in Riverside, California), is a Dove Award- and Grammy Award-winning American Christian musician who started his career in 1973 with the Jesus music band Sweet Comfort Band. The band went their separate ways in 1984 having made the successful transition to Contemporary Christian music. 1985 marked the beginning of his solo career. Bryan has sold in excess of 1 million records, released 15 solo albums, and appeared on several compilation projects. He has released three solo video projects and one joint tour video as well as having done the video for the smash hit, Left Behind: The Movie. Bryan has been the recipient of three Dove Awards and has received multiple Dove Award nominations.Bryan has had many #1 hits over the years including \"Traces of Heaven,\" \"Things are Gonna Change,\" \"United We Stand\" and \"Don't Look Away\" from the Slow Revival album; \"Love Takes Time,\" \"You Don't Leave Me Lonely,\" \"Into My Heart,\" \"When It Comes to Love\" and \"I'll Not Forget You\" from the Mercy album; and \"A Heart Like Mine\" from the compilation My Utmost for His Highest.Most recently, Bryan has started his own record label called Red Road Records, short for Redemption Road Records. He has started a new band called the Nehosoul Band with musicians Ricky B (bass player), composer and keyboardist Phil Curry, lead guitarist Walter Finch, and drummer Sam Matthews. The Nehosoul Band produced Music City Live in 2004, \"A Nehosoul Christmas'' in 2005, and \"Still Dancin'\" in 2008.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3739_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3496","name":"Sandi Patty","bio":"Sandi Patty (born July 12, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), known as \"The Voice\" is an American Contemporary Christian music singer. She is renowned for her impeccable musicality and the breadth of her voice, once described as \"nuclear powered\" both in terms of its range and flexibility.According to the FAQ section on her website, the name on her birth certificate is Sandra Patty. A printer's error on the labeling listed her name as Sandi Patti, and she used this moniker as her stage name for the next fifteen years, before returning to her given name of Sandi Patty.Her career excelled after she won her first two GMA Dove Awards in 1982, and began singing backup for Bill Gaither and the Bill Gaither Trio. She headlined her first national tour in 1984, and reached national acclaim after her rendition of \"The Star-Spangled Banner\" was included during the ABC Statue of Liberty rededication broadcast on July 4, 1986. This exposure led to multiple mainstream television appearances including The Tonight Show, Christmas in Washington, and Walt Disney Fourth of July Extravaganza.At the peak of her career, her concerts were so heavily attended that she performed in often sold-out mainstream arenas and concert halls. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she averaged over 200 concerts a year, and supported a staff of over 30 that managed her career. During this time she was noted, often critically, as the highest paid singer in the Christian music industry, largely due to massive touring and high-profile public appearances. In 1992, her surprising divorce from manager John Helvering rocked the Gospel Music industry, and this was later followed by an infidelity scandal that subsequently stalled her career in the mid-'90s. However, she slowly rebuilt her career through expanding her musical appeal, performing pops concerts with symphony orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops, and repeatedly served as master of ceremonies for the Yuletide Celebration with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.AwardsGospel Music Hall of Fame inductee in 2004 39 GMA Dove Awards: 1982 (x2), 1983 (x1), 1984 (x4), 1985 (x4), 1986 (x1), 1987 (x3), 1988 (x3), 1989 (x5), 1990 (x2), 1991 (x3), 1992 (x4), 1994 (x1), 1995 (x1), 1996 (x1), 1998 (x2), 1999 (x2) 5 Grammy Awards: 1984, 1986, 1987(x2), 1991 4 Billboard Music Awards 5 Gold albums (RIAA) 3 Platinum albums (RIAA)","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3496_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"20000 - 50000"}

{"key":"3758","name":"Ray Boltz","bio":"Ray Boltz Birth name Ray Boltz Born: 1953 Origin Muncie, Indiana, USA Genre(s) : Worship, Contemporary Christian Occupation(s): Singer-songwriter Years active 1990\u2013present Website: Official Website RayBoltz.ComIn September 2008, Ray \"came out\" as a gay man but continues to minister in \"open and affirming\" churches.Ray Boltz (born 1953 in Muncie, Indiana) is contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter, whose songs often tell stories of faith and inspiration. He travels the world in the group of Michael English, Michael W Smith with Gaithers Group.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3758_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"3519","name":"Carman","bio":"Carman was born in New Jersey where he grew up in an Italian home full of music and laughter. As a boy, Carman played the drums and the guitar, and he began singing in his teenage years. As his career developed, Carman played clubs then went on to Las Vegas. It was after seeing an Andrae Crouch concert that Carman gave his life to Jesus Christ and embraced his new found faith in the living Savior. After five years of ministerial preparation, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he began to develop his ministry headquarters for a worldwide outreach.During the next two decades Carman changed the face of Christian music and evolved contemporary evangelism into what it is today. Carman established \"Carman World Outreach,\" a non-profit organization that helps touch the lives of literally millions of people worldwide. Billboard Magazine recognized Carman's influence in Christian music by first naming him \"Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year\" in 1990. He has received numerous gold and platinum albums and videos. Even with all this success, the heartbeat of this Champion for Christ continues to beat strong for the souls of people who need Jesus. As an outflow of this passion, Carman had more than 50,000 people attend his \"Music for Peace\" crusade in Johannesburg, South Africa. These numbers topped the charts as his largest concert crusade ever, until more than 70,000 people packed the legendary Texas Stadium, making it the largest Christian concert in history.For over 26 years, Carman has entertained, encouraged and preached the Gospel to millions-crossing denominational, cultural and ethnic lines. During this time, he has never compromised the call to take the Gospel to every person. This vision still remains the hallmark of his life and ministry.http:\/\/www.carman.org\/home.phpCorrected link to his website. Update by Carman posted on FaceBook Page:\"LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!2 Months ago I sat in a Doctors office and was told I had incurable Multiple Myeloma Cancer with a 3-5 year window of time to live. I felt like God had looked at me and said \"Your Fired\" with no explanation. I never even imagined I could ever feel so worthless or dismissed. After 32 years of dedicated ministry, winning souls and building the body\u2026my own body now betrayed me and heaven went silent. Most of the members of my own immediate family wouldn't even call or write a text. I felt useless, past my time of value, my shelf life had expired and it was going to be a painful exit from this world. As a last resort I put up a simple post on face book just telling it all. What did it matter anyway.Then the shocker of shockers happened. People began to post the most encouraging messages by the 10's of 1,000's. Just when I was calling my attorney to finalize my will, I looked and there was 10-20,000 comments saying we love you, stay strong, read this scripture, I have been through it too, and keep on ministering. I was so shocked I couldn't say anything but just stare at the page. And it has been YOU, my friends, my partners, my brothers and sisters in Christ who have rallied me back into the fight and prayed me back to my feet. You've kept me alive and even said over and over again \" What can I do to help\"?Well here it is. I'm going back into the studio to make a new record with new songs from a man who is staring down the angel of death and backed by the prayers of the saints. I'm getting songs and melodies in my sleep and at the strangest times. Like when I first got saved. God is giving me a new song and I need to record them, then make a video and a tour..just like I always been called to do. And \"This Time\" YOU \" will be a part of it.I started a KICKSTARTER Campaign where you can make a donation of any kind and receive a special gift from me. There are all different levels of participation. You'll receive things like, the download of the first single, to signed CD's, a Phone call from me personally or even sing on the record, become an executive producer, be invited to the Celebrity listening party in Nashville and even have me come to your church and minister with the new songs.This is OUR record and everyone can participate. Or maybe give it as a gift to a longtime fan. Then I will be taking this new music on tour and getting as many people saved as I can with the time I have left.I'm asking you to do 2 simple things:1. Click on this link http:\/\/bit.ly\/CarmanKickstarter and see what God would have you do.2. Share this post on your page and with your friends.I'm determined to not leave this world quietly and bring as many people with me when God does call my name. Will you join me?New Carman Album and Music Videowww.kickstarter.comCarman fans get ready for a once in a lifetime chance to partner with him to make history with a new CD & Music Video project.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/3519_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"56456","name":"Michael English","bio":"Michael English (born on April 12, 1962 in Kenansville, North Carolina) is a Christian singer who has been recording music since 1972. He hosts a program on TBN.A native of Wallace, North Carolina, English performed in his family's singing group, The Singing Samaritans, from 1972 until 1980. After graduating from high school, he joined The Singing Americans.Where he shortend his name to Mike English, later going back to Michael. He left the group in 1982 and joined The Goodmans. At about the same time he married his first wife Lisa Bailey and they had a daughter Megan who was born in late 1984.After that, he joined a regional group, The Gospel Couriers, for about six months until he rejoined The Singing Americans. It was then that he had his first big success in southern gospel music with the live recording of what would become his signature song, \"I Bowed On My Knees (And Cried Holy)\".Although one of the Goodmans had brought him the song to sing and record while he was still there with them, the Singing Americans felt the song had not gone as far as it could while he sang with the group. This prompted English to record the track with the group, bringing the song its biggest success.His last album with the Singing Americans, Black and White, was one of their most popular. It featured a single English was fairly well known for called \"Welcome To Heaven\", but success of it was possibly stalled when he left the group in 1984 to join The Gaither Vocal Band as their new lead singer, replacing Gary McSpadden. The change of groups introduced more people to the southern gospel genre. After rising to fame as a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, Bill Gaither encouraged English to pursue a solo career. He signed his first solo recording contract with Warner Alliance in 1991 while continuing to sing lead in the Gaither Vocal Band.His debut effort, Michael English, was well received, ultimately winning two Dove Awards in 1992 for Male Vocalist and New Artist.English's Christian music career abruptly came to a halt on May 6, 1994, just one week after receiving four Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. English was dropped by his record label after he confessed to having had an extramarital affair with Marabeth Jordan, a gospel singer who sang with First Call, a group he was touring with. The Christian music industry responded by removing all promotions, marketing, and sales of English's records, and Christian radio stations pulled English's songs off the air. He also returned his Dove Awards to the Gospel Music Association and left The Gaither Vocal Band. He and Lisa divorced shortly after.Though he would not totally abandon music, English would not perform gospel music for the three years following the scandal. In 1994, English signed a record contract with Curb Records to produce mainstream pop music. A duet with country music superstar and longtime friend, Wynonna Judd, titled \"Healing\" introduced English to a new audience when the song was featured in the 1994 movie, Silent Fall.In September 1996, English released his second pop album, Freedom. The album\u2019s first single, \"Your Love Amazes Me\", garnered tremendous success and was recognized as the #1 adult contemporary song of 1996.At both the 1996 and 1997 Dove Awards, his co-production for album projects by The Martins won Southern Gospel Album of the Year. He also produced albums he had already started for The Stamps Quartet, The Gaither Vocal Band, and performed as a background singer on several artists' Christian albums, as well as demo work.In August of 1996, southern gospel audiences reaccepted English after promoter\/historian Charles Waller reunited English with Ed Hill, Rick Strickland, Dwayne Burke, and Milton Smith as the Singing Americans before an audience of over 4,000 gospel music fans at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion.In the fall of 1996, English was in the audience at the National Quartet Convention in Kentucky. Gospel singer and longtime friend, JD Sumner invited an unsuspecting English to join him on the stage where he asked English to forgive people's \"judging hearts\". An emotional English shared his testimony and immediately followed with a powerful rendition of \"I Bowed on My Knees\".In October of 1998, Curb Records released Gospel, produced by English and featuring his own band with arrangements he had sung in his concerts over the past several years. This album was co-produced by long-time friend Jay Damarcus of Rascal Flatts. Gary LeVox, the lead singer of Rascal Flatts, sang background vocals as well. In March of 1999, Bill Gaither invited English to appear in the filming of Homecoming. Three videos were released from this taping, \"Good News\", \"Harmony in the Heartland'\", and \"What a Time\".In March of 2000. English recorded a new album, Heaven to Earth, which was released by Curb Records. Premiering his album on Trinity Broadcasting Network\u2019s Praise the Lord, English gave a powerful testimony of what God had brought him through and shared his story about his addiction to painkillers and subsequent treatment and rehab.On August 29, 2002, English married Marcie Stambaugh, a pastor's daughter, in Nashville, Tennessee. In May of 2004, the couple welcomed a daughter, Issabella Grace (Bella), into the world.In addition to touring, English released his autobiography, The Prodigal Comes Home, in April of 2007.Discography * 1992: Michael English * 1993: Hope * 1995: Michael English (Curb Records release) * 1996: Freedom * 1998: Gospel * 2000: Heaven to Earth * 2003: A Michael English Christmas * 2006: Michael English Greatest Hits: In Christ Alone * 2008: The Prodigal Comes Home","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/56456_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}