Biography
For KING & COUNTRY is the amiable, anthemic CCM duo of brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone. Born in Sydney, Australia to a music promoter/entertainment manager father, and siblings of contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Rebecca St. James, the brothers grew up in a musical household and relocated to Nashville in 1991 as their father pursued a new career opportunity. Their first bow as recording artists was singing backup with their sister, which led to the formation of the grassroots duo Joel & Luke.
A name the pair chose to convey their message of believing in something bigger than oneself, as well as the devotional, emotionally honest nature of their lyricism, for KING & COUNTRY began in earnest in 2010. By that summer, their song “Light It Up” was featured in the Lifetime dramedy Drop Dead Diva. The following fall, the twosome released a self-titled EP for Word, featuring the songs “Love’s to Blame” and “People Change,” as heard on the supernatural CW series The Vampire Diaries, and “Busted Heart (Hold on to Me),” the fastest-rising debut single of 2011 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.