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John Legend - Legend's humble beginnings started in his church in Springfield, Ohio. The 'All of Me' singer grew up in a family of church musicians, and he was already playing the piano and taking vocal lessons as a child. Later during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, he took on the role of choir director for Scranton's Bethel AME Church.

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Tina Turner - Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock, was a member of the choir in her church in Canada.

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Britney Spears - Britney Spears joined the Mickey Mouse Club at age eleven alongside Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. But before that, she sang in a Baptist church choir as a child.

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Whitney Houston - The late icon was the daughter of a successful gospel singer, Cissy Houston. She herself started singing at the New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey, the same church where her funeral was held.

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Justin Timberlake - Long before turning into a global star, the singer-songwriter was just a normal little boy singing in his church choir. The church director was none other than his own father.

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Avril Lavigne - Lavigne is not really an artist you might associate with the church. But the singer was raised by strict religious parents and sang in her local church choir.

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Diana Ross - Before joining The Primettes—which later become The Supremes—at age fifteen, the icon was actively involved in her church choir in Detroit.

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Ed Sheeran - Believe it or not, the 'Shape of You' singer began singing in his local church choir in his hometown of Suffolk at age four.

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Snoop Dogg - The rapper received a lot of criticism when he released his gospel album 'Bible of Love' in 2018. Many people saw it as a joke, but for the rapper it was all about going back to his roots. Indeed, young Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (Snoop Dogg's real name) was a chorister in his local church.

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Usher - Young Usher started singing in his church choir from the age of nine. This was way before Diddy took him under his wing and turned him into an international star.

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Carrie Underwood - Country singer Carrie Underwood grew up in a rural town in Oklahoma, where she sang at the local church choir. A few years later she won the fourth season of 'American Idol.'

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Jamie Foxx - Foxx, whose real name is Eric Bishop, was raised Baptist and was active in his church choir in his teenage years. When he was around sixteen, Foxx played piano and was a part-time choir director.

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Aretha Franklin - As the daughter of Reverend C.L. Franklin of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, the Queen of Soul joined the choir of her father's church before becoming one of the greatest names in the music industry.

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Jessica Simpson - The singer and actress is the daughter of a youth minister and she grew up singing in her father's church before gaining notoriety thanks to an MTV reality show.

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Katy Perry - The 'I Kissed A Girl' singer was raised in a Christian family and also sang in the church choir. Perry released a Christian album when she was only sixteen years old under her real name, Katy Hudson, but the album was a commercial flop and sold only 200 copies.

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Donna Summer - The one and only Queen of Disco wasn't born in the spotlight. She had humble beginnings at the Grant AME Church in Boston, where she used to sing during her youth.

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Faith Hill - The Grammy award-winning singer has come a long way. She started singing at a young age in her family's Baptist church and later started her own country band when she was only sixteen.

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Marvin Gaye - Marvin Gaye was only four when he started singing in the House of God church. He was often accompanied on piano by his father.

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R. Kelly - Numerous numbers of R. Kelly are influenced by gospel and there's a good reason behind it. The singer came from a musical family and used to sing in his local church from the age of eight.

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Kristin Chenoweth - The actress and singer has a real passion for music. She has a master's degree in opera performance and used to sing gospel music in the church choir when she was younger.

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Brandy Norwood - Brandy's father, Willie Norwood, is a former gospel singer and church director. She followed in her dad's footsteps and got her start singing in the choir.

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Faith Evans - Singer, producer and widow of Notorious B.I.G. was born to sing. She began to sing in her church choir when she was only two years old.

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Allen Stone - Stone began his musical career at his father's church as a worship leader. This was before starting his higher education at a Christian school at the age of eighteen.

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Kelly Price - Price was born and raised in Queens, New York. She was first noticed by Mariah Carey who hired her to sing background vocals on the number 'Butterfly.' But Price's love for music started in her local church, way before she could even talk.

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Laura Mvula - The British artist who released her first album 'Sing To The Moon' in 2013, was formerly Director of the Lichfield Community Choir. As a teenager, Mvula was also very active in her local church, which led her to both conduct and write music.

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Anthony Hamilton - Hamilton has come a long way since singing in the church's choir at age ten. The soul singer has released six albums and won a Grammy in 2009.

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Little Richard -

Richard came from a very religious family and began singing in his church at an early age. He later became an important and influential figure in popular music.

See also: Famous people you didn't know were Jehovah's Witnesses 

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