Michael Passons is an American singer/songwriter and the founding member of the Christian band Avalon. As a young musician, Michael was influenced by artists like Elton John and Lionel Richie. In college, he performed in a band and in a New Jersey-based group that toured nationally. After completing his degree in classical piano at Mississippi College, Michael moved to Nashville and began working with fellow musicians. It was there that Grant Cunningham, a Sparrow Records A&R; director, caught his performance at a Nashville showcase. This pivotal meeting led to Michael becoming the founding member of the Christian pop group, Avalon in 1995. The band made its debut in November 1995, in San Jose, California, at the start of the multi-city arena tour, "The Young Messiah," alongside such artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe Winans and Michael W. Smith.
