 BIO:
With five albums, sixteen Dove nominations, thirteen #1 singles, two gold records and a Grammy nod later, the members of Avalon don't really exhibit any burning need to vindicate themselves. In an industry now dominated by vocal groups created from the top down such as N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, and Destiny's Child, the award winning CCM group no longer feels pressured to give an apologetic for the way they began. In fact, Jody McBrayer, Cherie Paliotta, Michael Passons, and Janna Long's shared history is enough to show that regardless of how they came together, four individuals with obvious vocal talents, unique musical tastes and a shared passion for ministry are going to create projects with an identity as pronounced and a chemistry as unique as any group that might have honed their chops together in someone's garage or basement.
With the release of Oxygen, their fifth Sparrow Records project (including Joy, the top-selling CBA Christmas recording for 2000), Avalon has not only maintained their position on the leading edge of CCM vocal groups, but they seem through the consistency of their success over the last several years to have reached a place of permanency within the genre. In an industry that has room for only a certain number of artists at any given time, and where most careers are leased on a month-to-month basis, Avalon has entered the select circle of those who actually seem to own the space they occupy. Their infectious pop sensibilities, creative vocal harmonies, and willingness to stretch themselves and their audience with each new recording, have resulted in an evolving, dynamic flexibility, a widening appeal, and a longevity that already borders on permanence.
"There's been a lot of discussion in recent years about 'crossing over,'" Jody remarks, "but we've never concerned ourselves with that. Our focus has always been to maintain our Christian stance and to fulfill the calling God has given us to be a Christian group. We do believe, however, in 'spilling over'. It would be a contradiction if we, as Christians, were only willing to sing our gospel message to people who already believe. So we try to be sensitive to any doors that God might open for us to present the gospel to the culture around us. Having this chance to record with Aaron Neville is something that will hopefully expose a wider circle of people to God's truth."
"The gospel has been a focal point for Avalon from day one," Michael remarks. "We present the gospel every time we sing and we give an opportunity for people to respond. But in conjunction with that it's also our goal to serve, to be servants in the way that Christ was a servant. We want our lives to speak as loudly as our words. In an industry where it's easy to be served, we're trying to be the opposite."
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Musical Style: Contemporary Pop
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