With 13 trophies on their mantle, for KING & COUNTRY is the most awarded artist in K-LOVE Fan Awards history. But for brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, it’s never been about the accolades.
“For us, we never started in music to get an award. We did it because we genuinely loved singing growing up. I was a 10-year-old boy singing songs,” Luke shares. “What those awards represent is somebody’s story. It’s somebody’s connection with a song. It’s somebody walking through a trial and needing encouragement, and they turn to one of the songs that we’ve written. We’re always honored; we’re always grateful. But it’s almost like when we see the award, we’re not looking at the ‘K’; it’s almost like we’re imagining faces inside that ‘K.’ ”
The award-winning duo first learned the ropes as crew mates and background vocalists for their older sister, Rebecca St. James. Their dad, who today serves as their manager, began his career as a Christian concert promoter. The brothers credit the “family business” for their current savvy.
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“Had we not started working together as kids, I think it would be very different. But because we started crew work and stage managing and lighting and background vocals in those sort of formative years where you’re learning about compromise and team work and humility and how to get on with each other, I think that’s what has made it so special,” Joel offers. “If you get thrown into the family business, you’ve got to figure out all the dynamics and how to work in and around them.”
In addition to the fan-voted hardware for KING & COUNTRY already possesses, the Australian-born brothers also own four GRAMMY® Awards, seven GMA Dove Awards and one Billboard Music Award.
Ticket packages for the 2022 K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend are now on sale. Next year’s event will take place May 27-29, 2022 in Nashville.
