with Carrie Underwood, Lady
Antebellum, Little Big
Town,Jennifer Nettles, Martina
McBride, Vince
Gill, Bono, Amy Grant,
and Michael McDonald. The
album marks Smith's third new
album in 2014 to enter the
Billboard 200, peaking at No.
16 as of December 2014.
Smith, along with Amy Grant,
was honored as the
"cornerstone of Christian
music" by ASCAP in 2014 for
his significant influence on the
genre.
In 2015, Smith starred as Cliff
McArdle in the movie
adaptation of the best-selling
book "90 Minutes in Heaven"
by Don Piper. The movie is
due for release in Fall 2015.
Smith is married to Deborah
"Debbie" Kay Davis (b. 1958)
and has five children: Ryan
Smith, Whitney Katherine
Smith-Mooring (married to
Jack Mooring of the
band Leeland), Tyler Michael
(keyboard player for the United
Tour), Anna Elizabeth, and
Emily Allison. He resides in
the Nashville suburbs and
spends time at the Smith family
farm. His son, Ryan Smith, is a
filmmaker who directed the
film After. Alders on-Broaddus
College awarded Smith the
degree Doctorate of
Music honoris causa in 1992.
Smith attended Belmont
Church in Nashville,
Tennessee and is mentored by
its long time pastor, Don
Finto. Smith is the founding
pastor of New River
Fellowship in Franklin,
Tennessee, where he was the
lead pastor from 2006 to 2008.
Smith and his wife remain
involved members of the
church.
Smith supports the Republican
Party, and is personal friends
with several prominent
Republicans, including former
President George W. Bush. He
endorsed Sam Brownback's
brief run for president in 2008.
JOY FEELINGS | DECEMBER ISSUE
46