Avalon (American group)

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Avalon Worship, originally known as Avalon, is an American contemporary Christian vocal quartet from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 1995. The group has earned multiple RIAA-certified gold records. The group consists of Janna Long, Greg Long, Jody McBrayer, and Dani Rocca.

Avalon was formed in 1995 in Nashville after Norman Miller of Proper Management took the idea of a vocal group to Grant Cunningham, A&R Director at Sparrow Records.^[1][2] Cunningham attended an artist showcase in Nashville where he heard singer Michael Passons and made Passons the first Avalon member. Former Truth vocalist and South Carolina native Janna Potter (later Janna Long) became the group's second member.

Rikk Kittlemann and Tabitha Fair became part of the group, but each left after a short time.^{[citation needed]} Long contacted McBrayer, her former Truth bandmate, who became a member of the group.^[3] Nikki Hassman-Anders was the fourth founding vocalist of Avalon. Hassman recorded two albums with Avalon, Avalon (1996) and A Maze of Grace (1997), before leaving in May 1998 to pursue a solo career with Sony Records.

Cherie Paliotta (later Cherie Adams) replaced Hassman in the group. Adams recorded four albums with Avalon: In a Different Light (1999), Joy: A Christmas Collection (2000), Oxygen (2001), and a remix album, O2: Avalon Remixed (March 2002).

Adams departed the group and was replaced by former Truth member Melissa Greene in September 2002.

In September 2002, McBrayer released a solo album, This Is Who I Am, that included the Top 10 duet with Jadyn Maria "Never Alone (Nunca Solo)" and a No. 1 single "To Ever Live Without Me." Long released a self-titled solo album in October 2002 which contained the No. 2 song "Greater Is He".^[4]

On March 25, 2003, Avalon released a greatest hits record, Testify to Love: The Very Best of Avalon, which featured two new singles that became No. 1 hits; "Everything to Me" and "New Day". It was the last album to include Passons.

Passons revealed in an interview in 2020 that he was forced out of Avalon due to his sexual orientation as a gay man and refusal to continue attending reparative therapy.^[5] Although a member of the group when it fired Passons, Greene has supported Passons.^[6][7] Passons was replaced by Long's husband, Greg.^[8]

On February 24, 2004, Avalon released the studio album The Creed, from which three singles were released, "All", which reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary Christian Songs chart; "You Were There," a No. 2 Inspirational Charts hit; and "I Wanna Be With You".^[8]

Avalon's sixth studio album, Stand, was released on January 24, 2006. The single "Love Won't Leave You" peaked in the Top 20 of Billboard Hot Christian Songs and Hot Christian Adult Contemporary charts. The single, "Orphans of God" peaked in the Top 5 of Radio & Records' Inspo chart the week of August 11, 2006. "Somehow You Are" was released to radio in August 2006.

On October 17, 2006, Avalon released a hymns album Faith: A Hymns Collection.

In 2007, McBrayer left Avalon the group after being diagnosed with a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyoparthy.^[9][10]

On February 26, 2008, Avalon released its ninth album, Another Time, Another Place: Timeless Christian Classics. A headlining "The We Will Stand Tour" followed the album's release, with Michael English, the Daniel Doss Band, and Cadia.

The first single released from Another Time, Another Place was Avalon's cover of the Twila Paris song "God Is in Control." The second single, released on November 5, 2007, was a remake of the Sandi Patty/Wayne Watson song "Another Time, Another Place." On November 13, 2007, Avalon released Another Time, Another Place EP, a digital EP featuring three singles from the album, "God is in Control" and "Another Time, Another Place," and a cover of the Amy Grant song "Thy Word."

Jeremi Richardson joined the group in 2007 to replace McBrayer. Richardson had sung with the group Voices of Liberty at Walt Disney World.^[11] On November 11, 2007, Greene announced at a show in Spring Arbor, Michigan, that it was the first concert with Richardson officially being a member of the group.

In 2008, EMI CMG released Avalon: The Greatest Hits. The album featured a new song from Avalon, "Still My God." On March 31, 2009, "Still My God" became Avalon's first No. 1 single since "New Day" was released in 2003, from Avalon's previous greatest hits album.

On May 15, 2009, Melissa Greene announced her resignation from Avalon upon accepting a position as Pastor of Music and Arts at GracePointe Church in Nashville.^[12]

Richardson's wife, Amy, replaced Greene on May 21, 2009.^[13]

On May 19, 2009, Avalon recorded Reborn, its first studio album since Stand in 2006, on E1 Music, ending the group's affiliation with Sparrow Records. The first single, "Arise," was released to Christian radio in August 2009 and became Avalon's 22nd career No. 1 radio hit, topping Billboard's Soft AC/Inspirational chart.^[14]

On August 7, 2018, after a decade as members of Avalon, Jeremi and Amy Richardson stopped touring.^{[citation needed]} Avalon announced in their Facebook page the return of Jody McBrayer and the addition of new member, Dani Rocca.^[15] On October 24, 2018, Avalon announced that they had signed as the flagship artist with Red Street Records, a new label launched by Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus.^[16] On November 1, 2018, they sang their debut concert as Avalon in Jacksonville, Florida on the opening night of the Greatest Hits Tour, organized by Newsong.^{[citation needed]}

Avalon released "Keeper of My Heart" on December 7, 2019, 10 years after Avalon's previous radio single.^[17] It was followed by a new album, Called, on February 14, 2020^[18] and tour.^[19]

In 2022, the group rebranded under the name Avalon Worship and have released their self-titled album under this moniker. ^{[20] [21]}

• Janna (Potter) Long (1995–present)
• Greg Long (2003–present)
• Jody McBrayer (1995–2007, 2018–present)
• Dani Rocca (2018–present)

• Rikk Kittlemann (1995)
• Tabitha Fair (1995–1996)
• Nikki Hassman-Anders (1996–1998)
• Cherie (Paliotta) Adams (1998–2002)
• Michael Passons (1995–2003)
• Melissa Greene (2002–2009)
• Jeremi Richardson (2007–2018)
• Amy McBride-Richardson (2009–2018)^[22]

• 2000: "In Not Of" music video
• 2006: "In Christ Alone" music video; featured in Tribute to Ruth Graham
• 2019: "Keeper of My Heart" music video

• Official website