After graduating from high school, he joined The Singing Americans, where he shortened his name to Mike English, later going back to Michael.

It was then that he had his first big success in southern gospel music with the live recording of what would become his signature song, "I Bowed on My Knees (And Cried, Holy)".

It featured a single English was fairly well known for called "Welcome To Heaven", but the success of it was possibly stalled when he left the group in 1985 to join The Gaither Vocal Band as their new lead singer, replacing Gary McSpadden, who moved to sing baritone.

He signed his first solo recording contract with Warner Alliance in 1991 while continuing to sing lead in the Gaither Vocal Band.

His debut effort, Michael English, was well received, ultimately winning two Dove Awards in 1992 for Male Vocalist and New Artist.

[3] His first self-titled album was produced by Brown Bannister and featured major Christian radio hits in "Solid As The Rock", "Mary Did You Know" and "In Christ Alone" He left the Gaither Vocal Band in 1994.

English stayed with friends Ashley and Wynonna Judd during his recovery period, and did not perform gospel music for three years.

The album's first single, "Your Love Amazes Me" (a cover of country music singer John Berry's 1994 hit), peaked at No.

[1] J. D. Sumner also invited English to appear with the Stamps at the National Quartet Convention, as well as the Grand Ole Opry.

Curb Records released Gospel, produced by English and featuring his own band with arrangements he had sung in his concerts over the past several years.

Premiering his album on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise the Lord, English gave a testimony of what God had brought him through and shared his story about his addiction to painkillers and subsequent treatment and rehab.

[6] In October 2013, it was announced that English would be leaving the Gaither Vocal Band to devote more time to his solo career.