Introduction
Michael English at 63: The Raw Truth Behind a Gospel Legend’s Fall and Redemption
In the early 1990s, Michael English was the undisputed king of gospel music. Possessing a voice that combined technical perfection with soul-stirring emotion, he was the face of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). However, at age 63, the story Michael English tells is no longer one of polished perfection, but of a man who broke his own world apart and spent decades clawing his way back from the ruins.
The Pinnacle and the Plunge
By 1994, Michael English had reached the summit of his career. At that year’s Dove Awards, he swept the honors, winning the prestigious Artist of the Year. He appeared to be the ultimate example of Christian success, supported by his wife of 11 years, Lisa, and their young daughter. Yet, just days after his greatest professional triumph, the facade shattered. English confessed to an extramarital affair with another gospel artist, a revelation that detonated his life and career instantly.
The backlash was swift and total. His record label pulled his albums, radio stations blacklisted his music, and the industry that once worshipped him treated him as a “contagious disease.” However, the professional loss paled in comparison to the personal wreckage. His marriage to Lisa ended in a painful, public divorce, leaving her to raise their daughter amidst a whirlwind of judgment and gossip.
The Years of Exile
Following the scandal, English vanished into a “spiritual and emotional exile.” For nearly three years, he stopped performing entirely. During this dark period, he struggled with deep depression and a crippling addiction to prescription drugs. The man who had once sung about God’s grace now felt utterly abandoned by it.
During these years, he found a rare sanctuary with friends like Naomi and Wynonna Judd, who offered him a space to breathe without judgment. It was in this crucible of isolation that English’s faith shifted from a performance to a lifeline. He realized that grace was not a theological concept for a stage, but a desperate necessity for survival.
A New Kind of Voice
When Michael English finally returned to music with albums like The Prodigal Comes Home, he was a changed man. The “polished perfection” was gone, replaced by a vulnerability that was often uncomfortable to witness. He no longer spoke as a spiritual authority, but as a fellow traveler who had been lost in the wilderness.
At 63, Michael English does not offer a “sanitized” version of his life. He remains honest about the fact that some things—like his marriage to Lisa or his daughter’s lost childhood innocence—cannot be fully restored. His legacy is complex: he is a man who caused immense pain but refused to hide from it.
Today, English’s story serves as a powerful testament to the reality of redemption. He proves that while our choices have consequences that persist, they do not have to define the end of our story. His voice, once celebrated for its beauty, is now respected for its honesty, offering hope to anyone who feels they have fallen too far to ever find their way home.