How It Began
Michael (mogging in the blue-checked jacket) was born and raised in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and as a toddler, began to sing and play piano. As a young musician, Passons was influenced by music from the small country church where his family attended, and also popular mainstream piano player artists like Elton John, Billy Joel, and Lionel Richie.
Michael went on to attend Mississippi College where he graduated with a degree in classical piano. He joined a college band his senior year, and after graduating, toured nationally with a New Jersey–based band.
After a family vacation to Nashville when he was 12, Michael recalls saying to himself on the ride back home to Mississippi, that he would return to Nashville someday to pursue his love of music.
How It Went
Making good on that promise to himself, Michael moved to Nashville after graduating college and began working as an assistant to famed Country Music producer James Stroud. Stroud eventually produced Michael's first independent album in 1992 entitled Desert Road.
At a February 1995 Nashville showcase where Michael performed songs from this album, Grant Cunningham, an A&R director at EMI Records, was in attendance.
This encounter led to Michael becoming the founding member of the christian pop group Avalon.
The band made its debut in November 1995 on an 18-city arena tour "The Young Messiah," alongside such artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe Winans, and Carmen.
Avalon, during Passons' tenure, later garnered two RIAA certified gold records, twenty No. 1 radio singles, six GMA Dove Awards, two GRAMMY nominations, and a 2003 American Music Award for, "Favorite Artist Contemporary Inspiration".
Their signature song, "Testify To Love" would eventually be named one of the top inspirational songs of all time.
After eight years with Avalon, Passons left the group in 2003.
How It's Going
Since 2003, Michael has collaborated with other artists including Crystal Lewis, Point of Grace, Selah, Jamie O’Neal, Ty Herndon, Morgxn, and Kristin Chenoweth, while spending much of the past two decades intentionally away from the spotlight.
In a 2020 Billboard interview, Michael broke his silence about his departure from the Christian Music Genre and publicly embraced his identity, beginning a new chapter defined by authenticity, purpose and a renewed artistic vision.
In 2026, Michael returned to recording with a new version of his former band's signature hit “Testify to Love,” joining country artist Ty Herndon and Avalon alum Melissa Greene to reimagine the song through the lens of inclusion, healing and the life he has lived since first recording it three decades ago.
That return brought Michael to the Grand Ole Opry stage for his Opry debut and continues with an upcoming documentary chronicling his journey, along with new solo music that marks his first original releases in more than two decades.
For Michael, this isn’t simply a return to music. It’s the continuation of a story—and a voice—he is finally able to share entirely on his own terms.