Artists Who Sang In Church Before Topping The Charts

Evanescence

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Jessica Simpson

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John Legend

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Katy Perry

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Whitney Houston

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Usher

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Switchfoot

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Brandy

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Carrie Underwood

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Avril Lavigne

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If you thought church had no place in the pop world, think again. Decades before today’s recording industry took shape, musicians first honed their talents in houses of worship before hitting traveling performance circuits. These days, churches still serve as the first venues where artists perform and many of today’s music stars got their starts singing for congregations.

Pentecostal pastors’ daughter Katy Perry sang in churches before recording her first Christian album as a teen. Members of rock band Evanescence met at a Christian youth camp and performed religious music early on, while R&B star John Legend was a church’s musical director at 16 years old. Check out the video below to find out how Legend's soulful sound has evolved over the years.

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Whether church was merely a point of initial exposure to music or if artists eventually recorded faith-based tracks, it’s clear today’s musicians are still getting their starts by first singing from the good book.

Who else launched lifelong music careers by first performing for the Lord?

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]