Joy

In a nifty CD-size paperback, CCM Lifelines released a book with everything you've ever wanted to know about this fantastic foursome. The childhood stories of each member, the background of their coming together, and tons of "Fast Facts" and color photos to let you in to the phenomenon known as Avalon. Read on to check out some of the fun facts about the band!

Fabulous Factoids

Avalon is a medieval term for"heaven." It was seen as a place where kings and children of royalty would spend eternity.

Member of the band call Michael "Father Avalon" because he was the first member.

The first contemporary Christian song Michael Passon ever heard was Amy Grant's hit "Fathe's Eyes," which sparked his interest in music ministry.

Janna Potter-Long listened to Aretha Franklin as a kid, wishing she could "make her voce sound like that."

The demo tape Cherie Paliotta gave Avalon's co-manager when they were looking for a 4th member was a country song! The manager listened to two lines and knew she was it!

Michael Passon's passion, besides music, is wildlife photography. His favorite movie is The Color Purple and his favorite food is his mom's fried chicken!

Janna Potter-Long started her singing career at age five in a play called "I Saw the Donkey." Her favorite movie is Sleepless in Seattle and she loves Rocky Road ice cream.

Jody McBrayer and his wife Stephanie take hip-hop dance classes and his favorite children's book is Where the Wild Things Are.

For more detailed stories about Avalon, get a copy of CCM Lifelines: Avalon!

Avalon is all over the place this winter! They’re touring with other Christian heavyweights and they’re even putting on a musical!

Here’s the scoop: Prior to Thanksgiving, Avalon will headline the intimate 12-city Don’t Save It All For Christmas Tour.

After Thanksgiving, they will appear on a larger scale on the Child of the Promise Tour, joining other notable Christian acts such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Crystal Lewis and Twila Paris.

The first part of the Child of the Promise Tour will feature individual artists performing traditional Christmas carols; the second half will be the performance of the Child of the Promise musical, written by multi-Grammy winning producer Michael Omartian and his wife Stormie Omartian, the best selling author. Child of the Promise tells the story of the first Christmas in a stirring musical drama. The show will give the members of Avalon an opportunity to perform on stage.

Bundle up and head out to see some of this winter wonderland action!

Avalon: four beautiful voices with one heart and spirit. The most recent manifestation of Avalon's common goal is Joy, the group's first Christmas album, which hits the streets October 17th. Joy is a blend of both the original and familiar holiday favorites, interpreted by Avalon's unique verve.

With favorites like the pop & gospel mix "Joy (To the World)," a big-band rendition of "Winter Wonderland," and the powerful ballad "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" co-written by pop favorite Celine Dion, Joy highlights Avalon's love of holiday music inspired by the members" deeply rooted faith. Joy also features two medleys of traditional carols - "Angels Medley" with standards "The First Noel" and "Angels We Have Heard on High" mixed with "Away in a Manger," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," and "Silent Night." The album also includes a heartfelt version of the moving "Jesus Born on This Day," written by Mariah Carey.

For Joy, Avalon consciously wanted a combination of familiar and new material. "We know people like traditional songs," Jody says. "But, we wanted to arrange them in a unique way. Each of us brought different ideas to the table. I really wanted to sing 'Don't Save It All For Christmas Day,' because I performed it two years ago on a Christmas tour."

Janna's personal highlight was recording "The Christmas Song." "I always loved it" she recalls."It was a challenge because so many people have done it, but it's really dear to me."

In the years since the group's inception, the members of Avalon have participated in selecting material and arranging their vocals. In fact, they arranged both the traditional carol medley's on Joy. "All four of us have to sign off a song before we record it," Janna says. "We all have to believe in the track."

Every track on Joy is full of verve and pop that Avalon fans will want to listen to every winter season.

When the members of Avalon initially got together five years ago, they were individually gifted vocalists but they had yet to form the chemistry that would bond them as a unified group. Since then, Jody McBrayer, Janna Potter-Long, Michael Passons, and Cherie Paliotta (who joined the group in 1998, replacing original member Nikki Hassman) have come a long way, chalking up three best-selling albums, twelve consecutive number one Christian radio singles and five Gospel Music Association Dove Awards.

"When we did our first album, we had to learn how to sing together. We didn't know each other," says Janna Potter-Long. "We also didn't really know who we were or what we wanted to say. Since then we've grown up a lot and have forged a common goal. We've honed in on what we want to say."

Joy caps an amazing five-year run that has seen Avalon vault to the top of the Christian music scene. Initially, the singers were united by Sparrow Records, with Michael Passons as the first member. A classically trained pianist as well as an accomplished vocalist, Passon came to Sparrow's attention when he performed at a Nashville showcase. Janna Potter-Long, a singer with the group Truth, was next to join, and she subsequently recruited her fellow Truth member, Jody McBrayer. Cherie Paliotta joined in 1998, recommended by a number of the group's friends.

Avalon's first three releases: Avalon (1996), A Maze of Grace (1997) and In a Different Light (1999), which is closely approaching gold status, were enormous successes on the Christian music landscape. In addition to its impact on the Christian music charts, the single "Can't Live a Day," from In a Different Light, debuted at number 30 on the Radio and Records Adult Contemporary Chart and led to R & R christening Avalon as the number 10 breakout artist of 1999.