Michael English

Michael English is an American gospel singer who fronted the Gaither Vocal Band from 1985 to 1992, then rebranded himself as a successful Christian pop artist during the 1990s. Born on April 12, 1962, in Kenansville, North Carolina, he launched his career at 10 years old by joining his family's singing group, The Singing Samaritans. He left the group in 1980, the same year he graduated high school, and briefly performed with groups like The Gospel Couriers and The Singing Americans before joining the Gaither Vocal Band in 1985. While still serving as the group's lead singer, Michael English also began releasing material as a solo artist, beginning with his self-titled debut, Michael English, in 1991. The album proved to be a popular release of the Christian charts, with English winning "New Artist of the Year" and "Male Vocalist of the Year" at the GMA Dove Awards in 1992. He left the Gaither Vocal Band that same year and released another solo album, Hope, in 1993. The album netted him five additional Dove Awards in 1994, including "Male Vocalist of the Year" — his third consecutive year receiving that award — as well as "Artist of the Year," "Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year," and "Inspirational Song of the Year." He began pursuing an increasingly pop-influenced direction with releases like 1995's Healing and 1996's Freedom, and scored a Top 10 adult contemporary hit with his cover of John Berry's "Your Love Amazes Me" in 1996. Popular singles like "Heaven to Earth" and "Feels Like Redemption" helped maintain his popularity as a Christian artist during the 2000s, and he rejoined the Gaither Vocal Band in 2009. Michael English remained with the group for four years, then left the lineup once again to focus on his solo endeavors, releasing albums like 2015's Worship and 2017's Love is the Golden Rule along the way. Meanwhile, a track from his 1991 solo debut, "Mary, Did You Know?," became a yearly holiday favorite, regularly appearing on national chart listings during the Christmas season.