▁Indiana ▁to ▁W inst on ▁and ▁Nell ie ▁Sh el ton ▁and ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁a ▁dev out ▁Christian ▁home . ▁ ▁He ▁began ▁performing ▁as ▁a ▁Christian ▁music ian ▁about ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁listed ▁in ▁" Who ' s ▁Who ▁in ▁Music ian ▁America ." ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁Sh el ton ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁tour ing ▁group ▁General ▁D elivery ▁U . S . A . ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁was ▁the ▁lead ▁singer ▁for ▁the ▁G ospel ites ▁group ▁of ▁D obb ins , ▁California , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁ten or ▁for ▁the ▁Watch men . ▁ ▁Sh el ton ▁served ▁two ▁years ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁South ▁America . ▁ ▁They ▁were ▁both ▁cru ise ▁direct ors ▁for ▁New ▁Cre ation ▁World ▁W ide ▁Christian ▁Cru ises . ▁ ▁Sh el ton ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁music ▁director ▁at ▁three ▁churches ▁and ▁as ▁youth ▁minister ▁at ▁two ▁churches . ▁ ▁Sh el ton ▁started ▁Thomas ▁Sh el ton ▁Min ist ries ▁and ▁has ▁performed ▁as ▁a ▁solo ist ▁g ospel ▁singer ▁since ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁solo ▁singer , ▁he ▁has ▁tou red ▁in ▁every ▁U . S . ▁state ▁and ▁eleven ▁countries . ▁ ▁He ▁performs ▁in ▁about ▁ 1 5 0 ▁concert s ▁a ▁year ▁and ▁has ▁seven ▁CD s ▁for ▁sale . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Sh el ton ▁is ▁married ▁to ▁Sh annon ▁Sh