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Prodigal Son

By Brent Stewart, The Southern

Friday, April 4, 2008 11:16 PM CDT

On a Wednesday morning in March, Michael English's wife, Marcie, calls from their Nashville home for her husband's interview. You can hear a child playing in the background, and she pauses for a second then returns to the phone, laughing and apologizing for the noise.

When English answers, he explains that tonight will be the first night of the "We Will Stand" tour, where he will share the stage with Avalon, Cadia and Daniel Doss Band.

He expresses his excitement to get back on the road, but he also knows it will be tough to be away from his family.

It's a far cry from the Michael English of 14 years ago, who saw his career in the Christian music industry come to an abrupt halt in the midst of scandal. And it's a testament to God's grace.

"It's kind of scary to say it doesn't get any better than this," he said, "but at the same time, I look at what I have now and where I've come from ? I guess you could say I came from on top of the world to the bottom of the world to where I am today.

"It makes you think and makes you thank God daily," he said.

Although he's about to turn 46, English has been in the Christian music industry for more than 30 years. In that time, he has performed with Southern Gospel quartets, had his own solo career with hits on the contemporary Christian and adult contemporary charts, written hit songs for other gospel artists and produced albums for others.

It's a varied and diverse career, but it always comes back to his main love, performing in front of an audience.

"It doesn't get much better than being on the stage and singing a song and feeling the emotions that go through you and knowing that you're at the right place at the right time, as far as God is concerned," he said.

English started out with the Singing Samaritans, a Southern Gospel group that included members of his family. Throughout the '70s, he sang with the Samaritans, with whom he would stay until the mid-'80s, except for short stints with the Happy Goodmans and the Couriers. He joined one of Southern Gospel's most lasting and influential groups, the Gaither Vocal Band in 1984.

It was Bill Gaither who encouraged English to pursue a solo career. His self-titled debut in 1992 peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Contemporary Christian charts and earned him two Dove Awards.

After the release of his next album, "Hope," English collected four Dove awards, including artist of the year and male vocalist of the year.

English was seemingly on top of the world. However, the week after his win, he confessed to having an extra-marital affair. Shunned by the Christian marketplace, he returned his awards and began a second career in pop music, signing to Curb Records, where he enjoyed success on a duet with Wynonna Judd.

Eventually, English was welcomed back to the Gospel music fold with a powerful testimony of God's redemption. He produced albums for The Martins, the Stamps Quartet and the Gaither Vocal Band. After the release of his album, "Heaven to Earth," he appeared on the Trinity Broadcast Network to tell his story.

Last year, his autobiography, "The Prodigal Comes Home," was released, accompanied by the release of his new album with the same name in March.

English's purpose in writing the book and rehashing all those painful memories was so it would serve as a reminder of what God can do.

"It seems like we, as human beings, tend to forget," he said. "I'm constantly asking God to remind me, on a daily basis, even though I don't like going back through the muck of it. It gives me hope and strength and courage to tell people what's gone on in my life."

And though he is sometimes a long way from home, he is enjoying God's blessing and redemption in his home life and in his career, knowing that being on stage and giving his testimony is where he is supposed to be.

"There's always one person who hasn't heard my story, and it's worth telling for that one person," he said.

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com / 351-5074