A native of Dallas, Jessica first developed her singing skills in the local Baptist church where her father, a psychologist, also served as a youth minister. When Jessica was 12 she auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club. The following year while attending church camp, Jessica, delivered an acappella version of "Amazing Grace" for one of the camp's guest speakers, who was in the process of launching a gospel music label. Jessica signed to the label. Three years later when the small label folded, she took the material she had worked on and began to hit the Christian Youth Conference circuit. Jessica is currently signed with Columbia Records.
It seems that the Mickey Mouse Club finally failed in its uncanny ability to find and hire future pop stars when it passed over Jessica Simpson's audition tape. No matter. Without having to don the ears or participate in a roll-call of names including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and roughly a third of all popular boy bands, Simpson managed to tug the ear of preteens with "I Will Love You Forever," a sentimental ballad that plays in homes across America as names and hearts are etched into Trapper Keepers. As long as there are crushes, broken adolescent hearts, and slumber parties, Simpson will have an agog audience tuned in to hear her outstretched vocals.
