When young Joel Smallbone and his musically talented family made the move from Australia to the US, there were a lot of uncertainties. Though his dad – a music promoter – had a job lined up in the states, it soon fell through. So the Smallbone family came together, including Joel’s mom and older sister Rebecca who took on cleaning jobs to help out. And God showed up in a big way, meeting their needs in ways they couldn’t have begun to anticipate.
It was just the beginning of a journey of great faith and a passion for making music that propelled Joel and his brother Luke to form a band. Though it initially took some unique encouragement from his dad to first get him up on a stage, young Joel now finds himself one half of the hit making machine that is for KING and COUNTRY, alongside his younger brother.
The gentlemen are making their way to the Upper Midwest next Saturday, June the 6th for the Joyful Noise Family Fest in Blaine, Minnesota, so it’s a great chance to welcome Joel On the Road. The good man gives us an update on what the band has been up to, traces the unlikely paths of his remarkable trek to today, and shares the heart of what drives he and Luke to continue making music about their faith. To hear our full interview, just head to the bottom of the post. Otherwise, hear a couple great highlights from the chat first.
Joel’s involvement in music began from a very young age. So did he know right away that he wanted to make crafting & performing music his future?
Highlight: The journey to the stage
Having already accomplished so much in such a short time, what is it about making faith-based music that drives Joel & Luke to go on the road and keep doing what they’re doing? What’s at the heart of for KING and COUNTRY?
Highlight: The heart of the band
And now here’s our full conversation with Joel Smallbone, including some extra exchanges we couldn’t share on the air due to time constraints!
