Though gospel music and spiritual songs have their own respective genres, there is often some crossover into country music. In fact, quite a few country singers are openly Christian; I’d be bold enough to say the majority of the genre is made up of musicians of the Christian faith. However, a few big names through the years have been forthright about the fact that they are not part of that particular faith. Let’s look at just a few famous examples of country singers who aren’t Christian.
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1. Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is a complex country singer/songwriter, and her contributions to Americana and contemporary folk music are incredible. Some might be surprised to hear that Williams isn’t a Christian. The “Real Life Bleeding Fingers And Broken Guitar Strings” hitmaker explicitly said that she is not a religious person.
“God shows up in all different kinds of ways,” Williams told KQED. “It’s just more about love. I don’t consider myself a Christian or a religious person. Probably a lot of people would echo these sentiments, but it’s just more some kind of energy force, or field, or something that I know is there. I’m not sure what it is, but I know it’s something and it’s there, because I’ve felt it before. We’re not just living in this empty void.”
2. Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is a bit of a vague entry on our list of country singers who aren’t Christian. Rather than outright saying that she is not a part of the Christian faith, Musgraves has said a few things that make it clear she leans toward a more spiritual life without labels. Back in 2024, the “Follow Your Arrow” hitmaker said that to her, “nature is God.”
“I think the word God is used in so many expansive ways, and everyone’s got their own interpretation of that,” said Musgraves. “For me, that’s nature.”
Just as well, Musgaves’ 2024 album Deeper Well explores more existential and complex theological themes that go beyond a specific religion.
3. Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt isn’t solely a country star. She was a pioneering figure in the alternative country movement of the 20th century, but she also explored everything from rock to folk to pop to Latin music. Still, she’s known for her country music stylings. And she’s been pretty clear about the fact that she is not religious.
“I’m a spiritual atheist,” Ronstadt said on NPR’s The Tavis Smiley Show in 2013.
Photo by Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images
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