Surprisingly Religious Musicians

Gene Simmons - Jewish

Gene Simmons is a native of Israel, born to a mother who survived the Holocaust. He can speak multiple languages, including Hebrew, and his religious and ethnic background is very important to who he is.

Prince - Jehovah's Witness

Prince is a former Seventh Day Adventist who converted to the Witnesses in 2001. He doesn’t just practice his faith in the quiet, he goes door to door with fellow Witnesses.

Boy George - Buddhist

The constantly controversial front man of ‘80s pop act Culture Club has been a Buddhist since the ‘90s. He began practicing chanting as a way to handle the stress from his multiple run-ins with the law, and is still a Buddhist today as evidenced by his frequent Twitter posts about his beliefs.

Gladys Knight - Mormon

R&B singer Gladys Knight converted to Mormonism in 1998 despite the churches’ controversial history with African Americans. She founded the Saints United Choir, a Grammy winning Mormon choir.

Gary Allen - Mormon

Many country musicians have connections to Christianity, but very few are Mormon. Gary Allen is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Tina Turner - Buddhist

Everyone knows Tina for her voice, her legs, and her past brushes with the law. What people don’t usually know is that she turned to Buddhism as a way to help her move past the difficult spots in her life.

Whitney Houston - Christian

Though the diva was a consistent point of controversy all the way to her death, she still professed a belief in Jesus amidst her struggles.

Alice Cooper - Christian

Known for shock rock antics, Alice Cooper is now a dedicated Christian. He was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ. Also surprising – he is a darn good golfer.

David Bowie - Buddhist

Glam rock superstar David Bowie has been associated with Buddhism since the height of his popularity in the 1960s, and the religion has been a part of his music ever since.

Freddie Mercury - Zoroastrian

One of the greatest – if not the greatest – front men of all time came from Persian descent. While it is unknown how much he practiced Zoroastrianism during his life, his funeral was a traditional Zoroastrian funeral.