Growing up in Australia, Joel and Luke Smallbone were unfamiliar with Thanksgiving. The holiday traditions centered around Pilgrims, turkey, and pumpkin pie were distinctly American, not part of their upbringing. However, a pivotal moment arrived in 1991 when their father’s job brought the family to Nashville, Tennessee. This move to Middle Tennessee, marked by unforeseen challenges and a stroke of good fortune, transformed their first American Thanksgiving into an unforgettable experience.
Today, the Smallbone family is celebrated for their significant contributions to Christian music. Rebecca St. James, the eldest sister, carved her path as a leading female artist in the genre. Later, brothers Joel and Luke formed For King & Country in 2011, achieving Dove Award-winning success and following in Rebecca’s impactful footsteps.
But the path to success wasn’t always harmonious. “We were all young enough not to feel the gravity of the situation,” Rebecca St. James reflected on their initial days in the U.S. “We were on the other side of the world, knowing almost no one, sleeping on the floor, and uncertain about our income. Mom turned it into an adventure. We prayed for miracles, and we witnessed them unfold.”
Their journey from Australia to Nashville was far from easy and financially straining. The parents invested most of their savings to fly their six children and themselves to America for their father’s job opportunity. They endured a lengthy train journey from California to Memphis, eventually reaching Nashville during the sweltering August heat.
Settling in Music City, the Smallbone family, soon to be nine members, harbored dreams of making a living in the music industry. Initially, they stayed in two rooms at the historic Union Station Hotel, drawn by the perk of free breakfast. Joel Smallbone, then seven years old, vividly remembers searching pay phones for spare change and maximizing the free breakfast, aware it might be his only meal of the day.
After two weeks at the hotel, the family moved into a rented house in Williamson County. Kindness came in unexpected forms, with the landlord frequently “forgetting” to collect rent. For sustenance, Shoney’s, where kids ate free, became a regular stop, and Taco Bell’s 79-cent bean burritos were a budget-friendly staple. “I don’t think any of us will ever step foot in a Shoney’s again,” Joel Smallbone chuckled. “We loved it then, but we got so burned out. Taco Bell, on the other hand, was like Ruth’s Chris for us. I still enjoy Taco Bell.”
For King & Country's Thanksgiving Message
Alt text: The band For King & Country, comprised of Smallbone brothers Joel and Luke, share a Thanksgiving message in a video still.
However, their father, David Smallbone’s, job took an unexpected downturn when his employer could no longer afford his salary. The Smallbone family found themselves in a precarious situation, struggling for basic necessities like food and shelter. Yet, amidst these trials, their faith remained their strongest asset.
As David Smallbone remained unemployed and the birth of their seventh child approached, the challenges intensified. Helen Smallbone, expecting, had not had an ultrasound, and the family lacked the means to afford a hospital birth. They slept on makeshift beds of bundled laundry on the floor, the same space where they gathered for daily prayer. Rebecca St. James recalled their parents encouraging specific prayers for their needs. Joel Smallbone remembers praying for a car. “I can still picture it,” he shared, sitting with his father and brother Luke in their family home. “We’d sit in our empty living room, expressing gratitude for being together and praying for everything – a car, help with hospital bills, furniture.”
An invitation to a Thanksgiving meal from a homeschooling family became a turning point. Luke Smallbone believes their mother accepted primarily to ensure her children were fed. Rebecca St. James describes that first Thanksgiving as a “Thanksgiving miracle.” By the end of that Thanksgiving night, Joel Smallbone’s prayer was answered. Jon Mohr, the father of the hosting family and a Christian songwriter, gifted the Smallbones their family’s new minivan.
In a gesture of future reciprocity, David Smallbone later offered Jon Mohr half of Rebecca St. James’ future publishing royalties. At the time, these royalties held no monetary value, but they eventually yielded $500,000 for Mohr. “God’s economy,” David Smallbone remarked. “Often, we think we must prioritize ourselves, but in this instance, I felt… Helen says she felt secure, but I think I was anxious for two to three years.”
This act of generosity and faith deepened the Smallbone family’s resolve to support each other. An anonymous donation covered the hospital expenses for their newborn. Rebecca St. James and her mother started babysitting, while the home-schooled Smallbone boys took on jobs raking leaves and mowing lawns. There was even a time when they scrounged for change in couch cushions to buy a gallon of gas to pick up a much-needed check.
Their neighbors noticed their struggles and began leaving groceries at their doorstep. Rebecca St. James recalls unexpected checks arriving precisely when they were most needed. Brentwood Baptist Church, a local church, delivered a truckload of donated furniture, ending their time of sleeping on the floor. “The energy, drive, and synergy we share as a family trace back to that Thanksgiving and that period when we were all united, fighting for our family,” Joel Smallbone reflected.
As life began to improve, David Smallbone focused on finding work and promoting Rebecca St. James, his eldest daughter, in Nashville’s competitive Music Row. At 14, Rebecca had already tasted minor success as a singer in Australia. Two years after their move, her energetic performance at The People’s Church in Franklin led to a recording contract with ForeFront Records.
Life took a positive turn. Financial pressures eased, and they purchased a van, transforming into what Joel Smallbone humorously called “the Australian version of the von Trapp family.” “We started touring together. Dad needed cheap labor for a crew, and we didn’t want to be separated as a family,” Joel Smallbone explained. “We all had roles. Luke managed spotlights and sang background vocals. I was stage manager and also sang backup, and another brother handled video. We were involved in every aspect, from setting up to tearing down.”
These years on tour with Rebecca were their “apprenticeship,” as the brothers describe it. By 16, Joel Smallbone became creative director at Elevate Records, his father’s new record label. “Again, it was a trial by fire,” Joel Smallbone said. “Learning on the job became our operating method. Failure was not an option.”
In 2005, Joel and Luke Smallbone began their musical partnership, securing a writer/artist publishing deal with Warner Chappell two years later. By 2008, they started crafting their first EP at their parents’ home. Joel Smallbone utilized his creative director skills for the project’s photoshoot and packaging. Producer Mark Bright facilitated their signing with a Warner Music imprint in 2009. However, by 2010, despite feeling the deal was uncertain, they still lacked released music.
As Luke Smallbone married and Joel Smallbone met his future wife, Moriah Peters, both contemplated their futures, unsure if a shared musical path was viable. In June 2010, they were asked to write three more songs for an album they believed was already complete. Frustration led Joel Smallbone to consider quitting. Yet, in a familiar pattern, they rallied together.
Returning to the studio in 2011, they recorded three songs that would become their first singles: “Busted Heart,” “Proof of Your Love,” and “Middle of Your Heart.” This trio of songs revitalized their career and solidified For King & Country as a duo. “Without those three songs, we would have been dropped,” Luke Smallbone acknowledged. Instead, their radio success propelled them as rising stars in Christian music.
“It’s incredibly rewarding,” Rebecca St. James expressed, her voice filled with emotion, about her brothers’ achievements. “I’m living my dreams, and to witness my brothers’ concerts and see my legacy continue through their music and the impact they’re making—it feels like God is spreading his love through their music. You witness the difference.”
Their personal lives also flourished. Luke and his wife, Courtney, welcomed their first son, Jude James, in December 2012. The following summer, Joel married Moriah Peters in California. “The way we were raised emphasizes choice,” Luke Smallbone stated. “People assume the American dream is over, but when we arrived in America, we literally had nothing.”
“What’s incredible is… we’ve built a life here in America. Without those challenging early times, we wouldn’t be the people…” Luke continued. “Or artists,” Joel added, completing his brother’s thought. “We are today,” Luke concluded. “Everything boils down to overcoming struggles.”
Even after their fortunes improved, the Smallbone family faced new trials. Luke Smallbone was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2012. He described it as “a very ambiguous disease” with varying severity. For Luke, it was debilitating, forcing him to miss over two months of touring after his brother’s wedding in 2013. His weight plummeted, and hospitalization was imminent. Joel Smallbone only learned the extent of his brother’s illness on the last day of his honeymoon.
“I literally moved between my bed and couch all day for about a month,” Luke Smallbone recounted. “I was seeking medical help, but like many things, recovery takes time. When treatment didn’t bring immediate improvement, I began to question not just my well-being but my ability to ever work again.” During this period, Luke’s wife, Courtney, feared for his life. She urged him to fight, to stay for their family.
“That’s when I considered, ‘What if this is it?'” Luke Smallbone remembered. “The most valuable lesson was realizing the importance of each moment with my son and wife. I resolved to laugh, to dance figuratively, and to live with hope.”
With songwriter Matt Hales, the brothers transformed Luke and Courtney’s experience into “Without You,” a deeply personal song on their album “Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong.” Courtney, not a professional singer, performs the song with Luke on the album. “Hearing her sing it, just the two of us during recording, was an amazing moment,” Luke Smallbone shared, highlighting the emotional depth and resilience within the Smallbone family story.
