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(Nashville, Tenn. – May 8, 2026) – Grammy® nominated and Dove Award winning country artist and author Ty Herndon and Michael Passons, founding member of the multi-platinum Christian pop group Avalon, today announced the release of a powerful new reimagining of the 1997 anthem, “Testify to Love.” The single, produced by the Grammy® award-winning Wayne Haun, is set for worldwide release on May 15, 2026 by Herndon’s label home, Club44 Records.
Originally a career-defining hit for Avalon, “Testify to Love” spent months atop the charts and became one of the most recognizable songs in the history of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). This 2026 version strips away the barriers of the past, reuniting Passons with fellow former Avalon member Melissa Greene, who is featured on the track, to deliver a vocal performance that celebrates authenticity, faith, and inclusion.
“This song has always been about the power of love,” said Herndon, who has spent the last decade championing LGBTQ inclusion in Nashville with his Concert For Love & Acceptance. “By bringing these voices together, we’re sending a message that faith and identity can coexist in beautiful harmony.”
For Passons, who famously shared his story of being ousted from Avalon due to his LGBTQ identity, this recording is more than just a cover; it is a restoration.
“For years, I sang these words while hiding who I truly was,” said Passons. “To record this now with Ty, Melissa, and this incredible group of artists—standing fully in my truth—is a full-circle moment I once thought was impossible. It’s a testimony to the fact that love doesn’t exclude.”
The track is elevated by an all-star chorus featuring a lineup of powerhouse emerging LGBTQ artists and advocates, including Jada Cato, Andrew Mitch, Jessica Rose, and Bryan Ruby, who provide backing vocals on the track alongside Herndon, Passons, and Greene.
The track comes on the heels of Herndon’s latest triumph, the release of his long awaited memoir What Mattered Most (Dey Street), which chronicles his personal struggles with religious trauma, drug addiction, mental health, and coming out as the first major male artist in country music. It is available now everywhere books are sold.
“Testify To Love” is available May 15, 2026 on all streaming platforms and will be the first single from his forthcoming Journey On (Deluxe Edition).
ABOUT TY HERNDON:
Ty Herndon has lived a life and career of extreme highs and lows and celebrated a critical milestone in country music as his record-breaking debut single “What Mattered Most” turned thirty in 2025. Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon charted 17 singles, including his three number ones and seventeen top 10 hits, such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man
Holdin’ On (To a Woman Lettin’ Go)” and “Hands of a Working Man.” He topped the charts in 1996 with the single “Living in a Moment” and again in 1998 with “It Must Be Love.”
In 2025, he released the first of a double album career retrospective entitled THIRTY, featuring guest collaborators on some of his biggest hits and fan favorites from more than three decades in the spotlight and on the charts. His memoir, What Mattered Most, was released on March 31, 2026 and is available now everywhere books are sold. For more information, visit www.tyherndon.com.
ABOUT MICHAEL PASSONS:
Michael Passons is a founding member of the Christian music group Avalon. During his tenure (1995–2003), the group achieved twenty No. 1 radio singles, earned six GMA Dove Awards, received two GRAMMY® nominations, and won the 2003 American Music Award for Favorite Artist, Contemporary Inspirational. Their signature song, “Testify to Love,” spent six weeks at No. 1—a record at the time. Following his departure from Avalon, Passons stepped away from the spotlight for an extended and intentional hiatus.
In a 2020 Billboard interview, Michael broke his silence, offering clarity about his departure and publicly embracing his identity. With that, Passons reemerged with a renewed sense of purpose and artistic vision. Now, in 2026, he returns to the microphone for the first time in over two decades with a new recording of “Testify to Love.” As the original voice behind the song, Passons brings it full circle in a collaboration that reflects both personal healing and a deeper understanding of its message. For more information, visit www.michaelpassons.com
