Smalltown Poets are an American Christian rock band from Tifton, Georgia, formed in 1996. The founding members are Michael Johnston, Danny Stephens, Byron Goggin, Kevin Breuner, and Miguel DeJesús. The ensemble originally performed under the name Villanelle. The group released their debut studio album, Smalltown Poets, in 1997 through Ardent Records. The record received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Gospel Rock Album and nominations at the Dove Awards. In 1998, the band released the album Listen Closely, which featured the song "Anything Genuine". Subsequent releases included the albums Third Verse (2000) and It's Later Than It's Ever Been (2004). The ensemble became inactive in 2004 before resuming activity in 2010. Smalltown Poets subsequently released the albums Smalltown Poets Christmas (2011), Say Hello (2018), and NWxSE (2021).
