Avalon

By Brad Shumake  

With the recent release of their new album, “Another Time, Another Place” and their preparation for their upcoming national “We Will Stand Tour,” I had the opportunity to catch up with Avalon’s Melissa Green.  From the humble beginnings of the group as back-up singers for Twila Paris, they have now become a mainstay in Christian music.

BS – What are you guys looking forward to about the “We Will Stand Tour?”
MG – I always look forward to tours! First because we sing with a band, it brings such energy to the stage!!! Second because it is always fun to share the stage with different band and ministries, this will be no exception with all the great artists!!!”

BS – You recently went to Seoul, Korea to visit with troops stationed there.  Does anyone in the group have family in the military? How often do you get the opportunity to perform for our troops?
MG – We have only been able to perform for the troops a couple of times.  This experience was the most moving for me.  They were such a sweet spirit in that room that morning! I will never forget it.  Greg’s dad happened to be stationed at that same base in Korea many years ago!

BS – While in Seoul, Korea you also hosted two concerts at the Kunman Church, to an estimated crowd of 6,000.  How often is it that you get to go overseas and perform? What did you most enjoy about the trip and the concert?
MG – Korea was just an amazing experience. One of my favorite overseas trips.  Avalon has only been international a handful of times, but we are looking forward to how God is opening more doors for trips of this kind! The concerts were amazing! They made us feel like superstars, funny because we are not  but more importantly they worshipped with us! At the end of both concerts we had them sing with us, I Love You Lord.  Either in English or in Korean, however they knew it.  It was like a touch of Heaven as we sang together, unified, but in different languages. I think we joined the angels on that one!

BS – With the release of your new record, “Another Time, Another Place: Timeless Christian Classics, just days away. Are there any expectations for the success of this album? What is your favorite song on this album?
MG – We are hoping that it will do well, of course! We hope this album can reach almost anyone.  To those who know the songs, we hope to help them remember why they loved them to begin with but with a little Avalon update! To those who are not familiar with these songs, it is our privilege to introduce them to amazing songs that stand the test of time.  My favorite, and actually the group’s fav, is God is in Control.

BS – I saw that you were doing a countdown to the new album, posting song stories everyday, which is pretty clever. Who’s idea was it to do that? What is your favorite song story from the album?
MG – I loved that Avalon’s first tour was with Twila Paris. They opened for her and then actually sang back up and even did some dance moves behind her. Now to have the opportunity to re-record her song, it is humbling!

BS – A lot of the songs on your upcoming album are Christian Music classics and the artists who originally recorded them are the greats of the music industry.  Are there any added pressures or expectations that come along with remaking these great songs?
MG – Yes there is and was pressure! These songs were number one to begin with! But we felt because of that they deserve to be heard again and updated a bit.

BS – You have recently added a new member to the group, Jeremi Richardson.  How did you meet Jeremi? How did you know that he was the right person for Avalon?
MG – Jeremi and I actually went to college together at Lee University.  When we found out that Jody was leaving the road, a mutual friend of Avalon, Jennifer Thigpen, brought up his name.  After he submitted a demo, we brought him out to fill in for a concert as we did with two other guys. With Jeremi we all knew right away that he was the one.  We had such a peace in the concert and felt so comfortable with him.  The other guys were all extremely talented but we felt God let us know immediately that Jeremi was our guy.

BS – It seems as though you have a lot of communication with your fans through your website and blogs.  What is the most memorable fan moment that you have ever had?
MG – Just hearing how our music and ministry has truly affected someone’s life is the best reward.  There have been too many special testimonies to count so keep telling us because it means the world!

BS – What is your favorite tour stop on your upcoming “We Will Stand Tour?”
MG – Well I have a lot of friends in Florida and Texas so I am looking forward to going there!

BS – When you go out on tour, do your families go with you? If not, do you try to schedule time during the tour to see your families?
MG – 95% of the time we have our children with us, and some times we have our spouses.  It is a blessing to get to take my son!!  My husband and I get to see each other Monday through Thursday most weeks.  I believe God brought us and those travelers like us together with strength, trust, and support enough to be able to do what we do! Family is my first priority!

BS – What does it mean to you as a group to be involved with World Vision?
MG – It is our honor to be involved with World Vision.  We just got back from a trip to Nicaragua to see exactly what World Vision does in the field! It was so inspiring! They are not just giving out “hand outs” so to speak! They are going in and tackling poverty at its roots, one sponsored family, and one community at a time.  They are teaching these children and families skills to further their lives, from crafts, to business skills, to nutrition education, to parenting, to agricultural techniques, goes on…. Check It Out! They are the real deal! Worldvidision.org

For information about Avalon and to hear their new music, visit: www.avalonlive.com or www.myspace.com/avalonlive