Avalon's "The Creed" Turns 20

On February 24 this year, Avalon's The Creed, turns 20 years-old. The album was the first record to feature the vocal contribution of Greg Long, who replaced Michael Passons after his departure from the group the previous summer to pursue other career interests. 

The Creed was also the first complete recording to exhibit the vocal strengths of Melissa Greene, who joined Avalon in the fall of 2002. The Creed went deeper, as a songwriting collaborative effort from the foursome, as Jody McBrayer, Melissa Greene, Janna and Greg Long worked with 20 of their favorite writers during a Writer's Camp in an effort to speak directly into the songs on this record.

As a result, The Creed revealed not only personal and spiritual growth but also the mission of Avalon as a group in the title song. The Creed offered five songs resulting from the Writer's Camp, as well as two songs co-written by Avalon members; "Abundantly", co-written by Janna Long and "The Good Way", co-written by Melissa Greene and Janna Long, as well as a re-make of "Overjoyed" from Janna Long's solo record. 

The Creed, produced by the dream team of Brown Bannister, Tedd T. and Charlie Peacock, came on the heels of a very memorable 2003, beginning with the collection of an American Music Award in January and ending with a CCM Readers Choice Award for Group Of The Year. 

The Creed debuted and peaked at #104 on the Billboard 200 chart for the week of March 13, 2004, and to date has spent a total of eight weeks there. It also made an appearance on Billboard's Christian Albums chart, its highest ranking #4, also for the week of March 13, 2004. On the Christian Albums chart, it spent a total of nineteen weeks. 

The project was unable to produce a No. 1 radio single, a rare occurrence in the group's successful career. However, lead single "All" did manage to peak at #2 on Radio & Records' Christian AC chart and spent a total of eight weeks in the chart's top five. It also made chart positions in all three major Christian formats-AC, CHR, and Inspirational. 

Tracklist:

1. "All" - 3:46; Sung by Janna and Melissa (writers: Ian Eskelin, Brian White, Tedd Tjornhom)
2. "The Creed" - 4:56; All split lead (Greg and Jody are most predominant) (writers: Matt Huesmann, Chris Davis, Cindy Morgan, Michael Passons)
3. "Abundantly" - 3:56; Sung by Janna (writers: Joe Beck, Janna Long, Sam Mizell, Brian White)
4. "I Wanna Be with You" - 4:05; Sung by Greg (writers: Will Owsley, Dillon O'Brian, Keith Thomas)
5. "You Were There" - 6:53; Sung by Jody (writer: Ben Glover)
6. "Far Away from Here" - 4:38; Sung by Melissa and Jody (writers: Jason Barton, Howie Dorough, Dan Muckala)
7. "Overjoyed" - 4:03; Sung by Janna (writers: Kevan Cyka, Stephanie Lewis)
8. "I Bring It to You" - 3:49; Sung by Melissa (writers: Phil Barnhart, Kevin Page, Bob Raglan)
9. "The Good Way" - 3:23; Sung by Janna and Melissa (writers: Damon Riley, Melissa Greene, Janna Long, Cindy Morgan)
10. "Renew Me" - 4:43; Sung by Janna, Melissa and Jody; (writers: Bernie Herms, Stephanie Lewis)

 

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