On Saturday, Jan. 18, Newsboys played their first show without Michael Tait, who had been the band’s lead singer for 15 years.
Tait, who rose to fame in the 90s alongside TobyMac and Kevin Max in the band DC Talk, surprised Christian music fans last week (Jan. 16) when he announced he was leaving Newsboys.
“While this may come as a surprise given I’ve been touring ever since college, l’ve made for me what is a monumental and heartfelt decision that it is time to step down from Newsboys,” Tait said. “This decision does not come lightly and has been a shock to even myself, but amidst prayer and fasting, I have clarity that this is the right decision.”
Tait’s announcement came just two days before the band was scheduled to kick off the first night of the Worldwide Revival Nights Tour.
RELATED: Michael Tait Announces He Is Leaving Newsboys, a Decision That Didn’t ‘Come Lightly’
In a statement that followed Tait’s, Newsboys said, “We are grateful for the extended season Michael has had with Newsboys. As he said in his announcement, the memories we share are deeply cherished. As he walks into the next season of his life, we are stepping into the next season of Newsboys.”
During Saturday night’s show, Newsboys’ guitarist Adam Agee, who joined the band in 2023, told the crowd, “We’ve been through a lot this week.”
Agee first became known in the Christian music world after his pop-punk band Stellar Kart released, “All Gas. No Brake.,” in 2005. The band was nominated for nine GMA Dove Awards and in 2007 won Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for “Me and Jesus.”
Stellar Kart released six albums before disbanding in 2014. That same year, Agee went on to fill the lead singer role in the band Audio Adrenaline, a role that was left vacant after the departure of Kevin Max.
On Saturday night, Agee said that the band found out about Tait’s departure only a week ago. “When the news hit us a week ago,” he said, “it brings up a lot of questions like: What do we do? Do we move forward?”
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