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American contemporary Christian musician, singer, songwriter, and actorMichael W. Smith emerged as a pivotal figure in contemporary Christian music during the 1980s. His career spans over four decades with 18 studio albums, multiple Grammy Awards, and over 15 million albums sold. Known for worship anthems like 'Agnus Dei' and crossover pop hits such as 'Place in This World', Smith has also composed film scores and authored books while maintaining extensive philanthropic work through organizations like Compassion International.

• Smith nearly abandoned music after moving to Nashville, working at a restaurant before his demo tape caught the attention of Amy Grant, who hired him as her keyboardist.
• His 1983 debut album 'The Michael W. Smith Project' unexpectedly went gold, launching his solo career while he still played backup for Grant.
• He co-wrote 'Friends' with his wife Debbie for their church youth group; it became a surprise wedding anthem and his signature song despite never being released as a single.
• Faced criticism from conservative Christian audiences for his 1990 mainstream pop hit 'Place in This World' and collaborations with secular artists.
• Survived a near-fatal health crisis in 2020 when an infected spider bite led to sepsis and multiple organ failure, requiring months of recovery.