Michael Tait

Michael Tait
Michael Tait in March 2009
Background information
Birth name	Michael DeWayne Tait
Born	May 18, 1966 (age 45)
Genres	CCM, Christian rock
Occupations	singer, songwriter, producer
Instruments	vocals
Years active	1988–present[1]
Associated acts	dc Talk, Tait, Newsboys, Randall Crawford

Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is a Contemporary Christian Music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan and Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 1980s, and formed four-time grammy winning band DC Talk, with whom he released 5 acclaimed studio albums. Tait is the current lead singer of Newsboys, and one third of Christian rock group dc Talk (though the group has been on hiatus since 2001). Tait also has had success in his solo career, founding a band called Tait in 1997. He toured as a solo act until 2007. He became lead singer of the Christian pop rock band Newsboys in 2009, and though Peter Furler was the lead vocalist on the album In the Hands of God, Tait provided supporting vocals on the project.^[2] Aside from singing, Tait is also a self-taught guitar player. One of Tait's five sisters is Lynda Randle, who is a gospel singer with the Gaither Homecoming Series.

Musical career

DC Talk (1988–2001)

Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan and Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 1980s. Together they formed the four-time grammy winning band dc Talk^[3] and released 5 acclaimed studio albums. In 2000, the band announced a hiatus with the release of Intermission: the Greatest Hits while all three members devoted themselves to solo projects. The band has not toured together since 2001 (except for one time in Redmond, Washington in 2005 and when TobyMac made a surprise guest appearance at Winter Jam in 2010 in Nashville and sang "Jesus Freak" with Tait). DC Talk has recorded 3 songs together since the announcement of the hiatus including the remix of "Atmosphere" on TobyMac's 2004 album Welcome to Diverse City and a cover of the Prince song "The Cross" on Kevin Max's 2007 album The Blood. The band also recorded a song entitled "Let's Roll" following the September 11, 2001 attacks.^{[4][dead link]}

Tait (1997–2007)

After DC Talk's hiatus was announced, Tait dedicated more time to his band Tait (which he named after his father, Nathel).^[3] Tait had partially formed this band around 1997. One of the original members was guitarist Pete Stewart (from the hard rock band Grammatrain), who is featured on the first album, but absent from the second one due to his departing the band to work on his own solo projects. In 2006, Tait announced that they were working on an album entitled "Loveology." Though Michael is now touring as frontman for the Newsboys, he still has plans to release Loveology. In an interview with John Dibiase of Jesusfreakhideout.com, he stated that Loveology is still in the works, and will be a separate project from the Newsboys. In the interview Michael stated "Loveology is going to become something we're going to be writing about very soon. I can’t tell you now, but it’s a project with the boys and I and Ben Moody, which is another whole music project."

• Empty (2001)
• Lose This Life (2003)
• Loveology (unreleased)

Newsboys (2009–present)

An official statement was released on March 9, 2009 that announced Michael Tait as the new lead singer of Newsboys. Coincidentally, Tait's former group, dc Talk toured with Newsboys in the 1990s. On March 7, 2009, Tait surprised the crowd by performing as Newsboys' lead singer for the first time and announcing that he would be the band's new lead singer.^[5] In the official statement released on March 9, Tait said "For years dc Talk and newsboys have been family and thus shared the same fans. When I received the initial call from newsboys to consider joining the band as lead singer, I was speechless! I immediately sought wise counsel and flooded the heavens with endless prayers for insight and vision, and I soon received a clear and definite peace. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to perform my first show as newsboys’ frontman to an audience of 12,000 people. I was completely wrapped in love and support by newsboys’ fans, who are clearly the best fans on the planet. Now I know this is exactly where I belong in this new and wonderful moment in my life’s history. This is a definite highlight of my career and for my 20+ years of walking with Jesus, and I am humbled, proud and privileged to call myself a newsboy.”^[6]

Former Newsboys lead singer Peter Furler still provided lead vocals on the 2009 album "In the Hands of God", though Michael Tait provided supporting vocals, along with Jamie Rowe of Guardian.^[2] Furler's last performance as lead vocalist took place during a performance at Disney's Night of Joy 2009. Michael performed lead vocals for most of the songs but Peter did come out to sing lead on the song "Breakfast".

In 2010, the reborn Newsboys announced information about their 15th studio album (and first with Tait on lead vocals), Born Again, which was released on July 13. In January, they released a 5-song EP with new songs, including the title track "Born Again", which was available only on Winter Jam 2010. They debuted the music video for "Born Again" around this time as well.

Music videos

With DC Talk

• Heavenbound (1989)
• I Luv Rap Music (1990)
• Nu Thang (1990)
• Walls (1991)
• The Hardway (1992)
• Jesus Is Just Alright (1992)
• Luv Is a Verb (1992)
• Colored People (1995)
• Day by Day (1995)
• Between You and Me (1995)
• Jesus Freak (1995)
• My Friend, So Long (1998)
• Consume Me (1998)

Video guest appearances

• "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe
• "Addicted to Jesus" by Carman
• "AKA Public School" by Audio Adrenaline
• "Thrive: Live From the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" by Newsboys

With Tait

• Empty (2001)
• Lose This Life (2003)

With Newsboys

• "Born Again" (2010)
• "Miracles" (2011)

Other projects

Tait has also starred as Hero in !Hero. He also contributed to various books, including the popular Jesus Freaks and Jesus Freaks II books. He recently contributed to the books Under God and Living Under God with dc Talk bandmate tobyMac.

Guest appearances

• Carman - Addicted to Jesus - "Addicted to Jesus" (1990)
• Reality Check - Reality Check - "Apart from You" (1997)
• Rich Mullins - The Canticle of the Plains (1997)
• Pete Stewart - Pete Stewart - "Uphill Battle" (1999)
• Point of Grace - A Christmas Story - "Light of the World" (1999)
• Roaring Lambs - "Salt and Light" (with Ashley Cleveland) (2000)
• Jaci Velasquez - Crystal Clear - "Center of Your Love" (2000)
• Jennifer Knapp - The Way I Am - "Say Won't You Say" (2001)
• City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time - "It's Christmas Time," "O Holy Night" (2002)
• Third Day - Offerings II: All I Have to Give - "God of Wonders" (2003)
• tobyMac - Welcome to Diverse City - "Atmosphere (Remix featuring dc Talk)" (as dcTalk) (2004)
• In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa - "One" (U2 cover) (2004)
• DJ Maj - Boogiroot - "H.A.N.D.S." (2005)
• Building 429 - Rise - "Empty" (2006)
• Kevin Max - The Blood - "The Cross" (as dc Talk) (2007)
• Marc Scibilia - Fixity - "Worship Song" (2007)
• Newsboys - In the Hands of God (2009)
• "Come Together Now (Music City Unites for Haiti)" (charity single, relief effort led by Michael W. Smith) (2010)
• JakeACE - Get Down Everybody - "Wings Like Eagles" (2010)
• Music Inspired by the Story - "Bring Us Home (Joshua)" with Blanca Callahan and Lecrae (EMI Christian Music 2011)

Singles with Newsboys

• "Glorious"
• "The Way We Roll"
• "Born Again"
• "I'll Be"
• "Something Beautiful"
• "He Reigns"

References

External links

• Newboys.com
• dc Talk
• Tait
• DcTalkUnite.com
• [1]

Preceded by Peter Furler

Newsboys Lead Singers 2009-Present

Succeeded by Incumbent