Michael Passons, founding member of the contemporary Christian music group Avalon, has shared new details about his 2003 exit from the band, asserting that internal pressure from a fellow group member played a key role in his ouster following his coming out as gay.
In a recent two-part interview with host Patrick Custer, Passons offered one of his most comprehensive accounts to date of his time with Avalon and the circumstances that led to his departure. While the band initially presented his 2003 exit publicly as a voluntary step toward other musical opportunities, Passons revealed that the reality was far more complicated.
Passons explained that living as a closeted gay man within the conservative culture of Christian music forced him to "develop two of me" - a private self and a public persona that conformed to expectations. He said that maintaining this division ultimately came to an end when aspects of his personal life became known among band members and management.
According to Passons, a fellow group member instigated what he described as an "aggressive campaign" with the band's leadership that contributed to the decision to remove him from Avalon. Although he was initially required to keep the terms of his departure confidential by a nondisclosure agreement, Passons began speaking publicly about the true reasons for his exit in 2020.
Avalon, formed in 1995 and known for hits such as "Testify to Love," achieved significant success during Passons' tenure, including multiple Dove Awards, Grammy nominations, and an American Music Award. Since 2022, the group has continued under the name Avalon Worship with a lineup including Jody McBrayer, Janna (Potter) Long, and Greg Long.
In his interview with Custer, Passons emphasized his desire to reclaim his narrative and encourage others facing similar struggles, saying that telling his story was part of finding peace and honesty in his own life.
