Jeremy McCoy Alleges Michael Tait’s Drug Abuse Was “An Open Secret” in Christian Music
The fallout from Michael Tait’s recent confession and abuse allegations continues to ripple through the Christian music industry, as insiders come forward with claims that his struggles were long known but quietly dismissed. Among the most outspoken voices is Jeremy McCoy, a respected studio and touring bassist whose career spans work with The Fray, One Republic, Jeff Deyo of Sonicflood, and Rebecca St. James. In an interview with The Roy’s Report (TRR), McCoy alleged that Tait’s cocaine use was no surprise to those around him, recalling first hearing about the singer’s “benders” while contributing bass tracks for Newsboys’ 2010 album Born Again.
McCoy described a troubling incident during the recording process, where after laying down his part for “Save Your Life,” he expected Tait to record vocals immediately afterward. Instead, the frontman was nowhere to be found. “The next week, the producer let me know that Michael was on another one of his cocaine benders and had disappeared or ghosted everyone for several days,” McCoy recounted. Despite this behavior, McCoy claimed Tait was shielded by management and allowed to continue as the public face of the band, raising questions about accountability in Christian music circles.
The bassist also pointed to an alleged songwriting dispute as evidence of a broader pattern of enabling. According to McCoy, Tait was wrongly credited as a co-writer on “The Enemy,” a track featured on the Newsboys’ 2013 album Restart. Though McCoy and two collaborators penned the song, royalties were split four ways after the label insisted Tait claimed authorship. “I told them that Tait wasn’t a writer on that song. They said, ‘He’s saying he was,’” McCoy explained. This not only reduced the other writers’ earnings but also reinforced what McCoy describes as a culture willing to overlook misconduct in order to protect star power. The revelations add weight to growing calls for transparency and reform within the industry.
