Michael Tait

Michael Tait
Tait in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Michael DeWayne Tait
Born	(1966-05-18) May 18, 1966 (age 57) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Genres	CCM, Christian rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	1988–present[1]
Member of	DC Talk, Newsboys
Formerly of	Tait

Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is an American

Musical career

DC Talk (1988–2001)

Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan in 1984 while he was in high school in the

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 titled 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 said, "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."

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' front man 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),

• Carman - Addicted to Jesus - "Addicted to Jesus" (1992)
• 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)
• Newsboys - "The Fad of the Land" - Thrive (2002)
• Third Day - Offerings II: All I Have to Give - "God of Wonders [live]" (2003)
• Welcome to Diverse City - "Atmosphere (remix featuring DC Talk
  )" (as DC Talk) (2004)
• In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa - "One" (U2 cover) (2004)
• DJ Maj - Boogiroot - "H.A.N.D.S." (2005)
• Rise
  - "Empty" (2006)
• Kevin Max - The Blood - "The Cross" (as DC Talk) (2007)
• Marc Scibilia - Fixity - "Worship Song" (2007)
• T-Bone - Bone-Appetit! - "Raised in Harlem" (2007). Previously released on !Hero (2003)
• 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)
• EMI Christian Music
  2011)
• Karyn Williams - Only You - "Hey There" (2013)
• TobyMac;– This Is Not a Test - "Love Feels Like (featuring DC Talk)" (as DC Talk) (2015)
• Hits Deep Live
  - "Love Feels Like [live]" (featuring DC Talk)" (as DC Talk) (2016)
• TobyMac - Life After Death-space( Ft Kevin max and Michael Tait)as DC Talk
  2022

• "Heavenbound" (1989)
• "I Luv Rap Music" (1991)
• "Nu Thang" (1991)
• "Walls" (1992)
• "Jesus Is Just Alright" (1993)
• "The Hardway" (1994)
• "Luv Is a Verb" (1994)
• "Jesus Freak" (1995)
• "Between You and Me" (1996)
• "Colored People" (1997)
• "Day by Day" (1997)
• "My Friend, So Long" (1998)
• "Consume Me" (1999)

With Tait

• "Altars" (2001)
• "Lose This Life" (2003)

With Newsboys

• "Born Again" (2010)
• "Miracles" (2011)
• "God's Not Dead (Like a Lion)" (2012)
• "Live With Abandon" (2013)
• "That's How You Change The World" (2014)
• "We Believe" (2014)
• "Guilty" [from the film God's Not Dead 2] (2015)
• "Crazy" (2016)
• "Hero" (2016)
• "Guilty" (2016)

Video guest appearances

• "Addicted to Jesus" by Carman (1992)
• "AKA Public School" by Audio Adrenaline (1993)
• "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe (2001)
• "Thrive: Live from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" by Newsboys (2002)
• "Mountaintop" by The City Harmonic (2013)

Personal life

Tait has five sisters, one of them is Southern gospel alto singer Lynda Randle.^[9][10] He also has three brothers.

Tait told Fox News Radio host Todd Starnes in February 2016 that he supported Ted Cruz for president in the 2016 election.^[11] Tait signed a letter opposing President Donald Trump's impeachment in December 2019 and also participated in the Evangelicals for Trump rally in January 2020.^[12][13]

In 2021, he appeared on

External links

• Michael Tait on
  Twitter
• Michael Tait at
  IMDb
• Alexander, Sydney. "20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Michael Tait". TodaysChristianMusic. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.