Rebecca St. James

Rebecca Jean Smallbone was born on July 26, 1977 in Sydney, Australia, to Helen and David Smallbone. She is the oldest of seven children--five boys and two girls When she was 13 she was the lead vocalist at her Christian school. That year, Carman asked her to open shows during his Australian tour, and she also recorded her first album, "Refresh My Heart." The next year, David Smallbone was offered a job in America and the whole family packed up to move with him; unfortunately, the job soon fell through. With no money to return to Australia, the family began to do odd jobs together such as cleaning houses. Through the next two years, they lived on prayer and not much else. Someone gave them keys to a van and another person paid the bills for the youngest Smallbone child, Libby, to be born in a hospital. At 16, Rebecca was given a record deal and began a career that has lasted 11 years so far. Beginning in 1994 with her self-titled debut, Rebecca St. James has impacted thousands of teens and even adults to live radically for God.