(RNS) — Michael Tait, an alum of Christian rock bands Newsboys and DC Talk, is facing allegations of sexual assault from three men he met in the Christian music industry, according to an investigation from The Roys Report published Wednesday (June 4).
Newsboys members Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee said in a statement to RNS they were “devastated” by the implications of the allegations against Tait, who left the band earlier this year.
“Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait,” the four band members wrote. “While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated even by the implications. First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.”
Known for performing on Christian music hits like DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak” (1996) and Newsboys’ “God’s Not Dead” (2011), Tait has been a mainstay of the contemporary Christian music world since the 1990s. He attended the evangelical Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, in the 1980s, where he began DC Talk with bandmates Kevin Max and Toby McKeehan (TobyMac). The band won four Grammy Awards before taking a hiatus in 2001.
Tait toured for several years with his own band called Tait, before becoming the lead singer of Newsboys in 2009.
The allegations, which also include substance abuse, reported by The Roys Report took place between 2004 and 2014.
After meeting Tait at a concert in 2004, a then-22-year-old worship musician said he was invited twice to visit Tait’s home in Nashville, Tennessee, despite living eight hours away, according to the report. During the second visit, the musician said, Tait exposed his genitals and touched the musician’s anal area without consent. The musician told The Roys Report he initially thought Tait’s actions were an “anomaly.”
“When the anecdotes I was hearing started seeming more dangerous and scary, instead of just sexual or romantic, I wanted to help put a stop to this potentially happening again to others,” he told The Roys Report.
Years later, a 22-year-old touring musician with the Chris Sligh band, which opened for the Newsboys in 2010, was befriended by Tait, despite Tait being 21 years older. The Chris Sligh bandmate alleged that in January 2011, Tait assaulted him after inviting him to his home and providing him with alcohol. The musician said he woke in the early morning to Tait kissing him and touching his genitals. He told The Roys Report he saw Tait as “basically the top of the food chain” in the Christian music industry.
The pattern reportedly repeated in 2014. A 22-year-old crew member said that after a night of drinking, Tait offered him cocaine. He later woke up to Tait touching his genitals over his clothes, he said according to The Roys Report.
Attempts to reach Tait for this story were unsuccessful and he has not responded publicly to the allegations. RNS was unable to reach the alleged victims, who were given anonymity in the Roys article.
The Newsboys’ statement said the four current bandmates are husbands and fathers, and acknowledged the sacrifice of their families while they played “music together that glorifies God.” They now feel deceived by Tait, they wrote.
“We are horrified, heartbroken, and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the last 15 years,” they wrote. “When he left the band in January, Michael confessed to us and our management that he ‘had been living a double-life’ but we never imagined that it could be this bad.”
In an email to The Roys Report, a lawyer representing the Newsboys cautioned the outlet from “publishing anything that states, implies, or may otherwise be construed to suggest that Newsboys’ owners or management had knowledge of the things you allege.” The lawyer also wrote that while they were “aware of unsubstantiated aspersions cast via internet towards Mr. Tait and Newsboys by one particular individual, because your questions revolve around the alleged actions and behavior of Mr. Tait, it would be inappropriate for Newsboys to speculate or comment.”
Earlier this year, Tait announced his exit from the Newsboys. On Jan. 15, a TikTok influencer released a viral video claiming Tait was gay. A day later, Tait announced his departure from the Christian music group, saying he had “clarity” about the move. He did not cite a reason for the decision.
Tait is also known for his conservative politics. In 2016, he endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president before supporting Donald Trump. Tait signed a letter opposing Trump’s 2019 impeachment and was a performer at a January 2020 Evangelicals for Trump concert.