|PIC1|After twenty number one singles, more than three million albums sold, three dove awards, one American music award, and the list goes on. How do all of you stay so humble and on one accord?

Melissa: I think it has a lot to do with making sure you're in the word everyday and staying focus. We feel very Blessed to sing in front of a great audience like we did tonight. There's three thousand people some nights then there's two hundred people. GOD is like remember why you're doing this. Greg has been challenging us lately to make sure we give excellence no matter who's out there. I love that, I think that's a great challenge. We realize why we do this and are thankful for the gifts that we have are from GOD. We take it for granted and he can take it away.

How does Avalon selects who sings what? Do all of you read the song lyrics and immediately know who will sing what verses or is there a selection process?

Jeremi: Well, Interesting enough I have not been involved in this process yet. But I have heard many stories, especially on the last album. Of course you know Avalon being of four members there's always a voting process. Most of the selection of solos and like who's going to sing what harmony is decided by the producer or the record label. So there's not a lot of internal decisions on that. If something would have come up and it would be .... Oh that's way too high or to low then there could be an evaluation. But it's definitely something that's not controlled by us.

Groups have to deal with each other personalities. So there's going to be diverse opinions and ideas on the project at hand. How do all of you bring everything together in a unified fashion?

Janna: I think it's kind of a democracy. We have to choose a song or a choice has to be made on an album cover. You have to concede sometimes and realize it's not just whether you're looking good and sounding good. You have three other people to consider.
Melissa: It's true. Twelve years you would think a group like this and with all the decisions it has made on who sings what and whatever. There would be a lot more drama than it has been.
Janna: You realize when one of you succeeds, all of you succeed. If one of you shines than that spreads the light on everybody, so it's a lot of giving and taking.

How does Avalon choose the songs for the tour?

Jeremi: Well choosing the songs for the tour is definitely a struggle, because God has Blessed Avalon with so many great tunes. So finding a way to incorporate the new album, which is ultimately why everyone is on tour. You want to get the word out, but find a way to not neglect the old. So there's a lot of melodies and a few songs fall by the way side. It's sad, but you can't do them all.

This was Jody McBrayer final album, how does it feel not touring with him?

Greg: It's sort of a weird situation, because we're sad to have Jody leave but on the same hand we're so thrilled with Jeremi and what he has brought to Avalon. Not just his incredible talent, his spirit and his dancing of course. His spirit matches the spirit of Avalon. We could have found somebody really talented and have a terrible spirit or find somebody who had a great spirit and really couldn't sing very well. We're glad we have both of those.





Jeremi, what is it like to be a new member of a group? Not to mention a group that you were a fan of.

Jeremi: Being the newest member of Avalon is a very surreal experience. There's not a concert that goes by where I'll stand on the stage, thinking this is me singing with Avalon. I love looking out at the concerts and catch somebody singing away, enjoying and digesting every moment that's going on. I realize a half a year ago, that was me sitting there. Avalon has been very gracious, it's always crucial when you meet someone for the very first time that you idolize. For them to be generous to you and welcoming, it says a lot about them. They were that way before I was part of the group, so it's a terrific experience.

The election is several months away, will Avalon be endorsing a presidential nominee?

Melissa: Last time around when we decided who we were going to vote for and everything we sometimes wear shirts and one time on stage ....
Greg: Got in trouble
Melissa: Yeah, we got in trouble
Greg: Not with fans, because they did like whom we were voting for
Melissa: I don't know, we haven't discussed it.
Greg: I do believe in core issues and one of the things for me as a believer is the right to life. So I almost always will take my vote to someone who believes in that a baby is a baby right away.

All of you are married with children and you have to travel for different events and tours. As a result, you're away from your family and loved ones. Is it still hard to leave them or does it become easier to deal with over the years?

Jeremi: In touring and just life on the road in general for Avalon, it's probably different from a lot of groups. Avalon use to fly basically everywhere they went, except for major tours and then they would use the bus because it was too expensive to fly. When the members started having children that changed. We became a bus group, so we actually have a nursery on the bus and nannies that come and help take care of the kids.

Will there be a reality TV show in the making?

Greg: Where did you hear that?
Melissa: We talked about, we need the funds.
Janna: It would be a funny show.
Greg: That's a reality I not quite sure I'm ready to share. Actually, there has been talk about that in the past.
Jeremi: It would definitely be a interesting show. You have four people, with four personalities thrown into a mix. It's bound to be comedy.

When touring, where do you find time to go to church?

Jeremi: Going to church on tour is almost an impossibility. You know, a lot of churches have their own online services. And of course Northland where we are here tonight, they have the same thing and I've done that a couple of times. For me, I got the experience Bible on CD. It's a kind of a dramatic portrayal of the scriptures, lot of sound effects and different things go on. That's a great way for me to get out of the road and into the word and kind of escape.

Where do you see Avalon in the next ten years?

Greg: Nursing home, we only been out for twelve years, I have no idea
Jana: It's funny, we get asked that a lot and as long as GOD continues to open up the door we're willing to get on the bus and go. You can worry about what your career can look like three months from now or ten months from now but GOD has lead us every step of the way. You know honestly, I did not know I would be sitting here twelve years later talking to you. He's been faithful and gives us so many opportunities and we'll continue to go as long as he does that.

As a new day, new opportunities, and some disappointment arrive in all our lives at some point in time. Avalon's music reminds us all that God is and will always be in control.|QUOTE|