The Isaacs
The Isaacs are known for being the premier close family harmony group in our industry. Tell us a little of your history. What was it like as kids singing together? Do you naturally feed off of each other as you are singing? Explain that a little. How does "Mom" fit into the scene?
Thanks for saying that! We love to sing together more than anything. As kids we didn’t really understand how blessed we were to hear and be able to sing in harmony. As young as 5 years, Mom and Dad worked with us to make sure we learned it properly and used to make us sing all the time for anyone who would ask. Having sung together for 30 years now, we can almost predict what each other will do and we have so much fun with it! We have a natural blend singing with Mom and Dad too, and somehow even though one is a hillbilly and one a hippie, it all works! Ha ha…
How young were you kids when you were "forced" to start playing instruments? What was it like with three kids all practicing different instruments in one house? Just how many different instruments so all of you play?
Growing up in a musical home, as kids we started to tinker with different instruments that were just laying around the house. Dad always said if you want your kid to learn one, just lay it on the couch and dare them to touch it! Ha ha.. well, it worked! We had a lot of different band members through the years, and as we got old enough to play, we each learned the one we were drawn to.. It sorta happened one at a time with us… so we weren’t all learning at the same time…that woulda been a catastrophe! Ha ha… Dad did make us practice a lot, and back then we didn’t like it much… now, of course, we see the value of it and are grateful for all those “forced” rehearsals.
Though you come from a Bluegrass background, you are all so talented that none of you are pigeonholed into one style. Do you favor any style over all the others?
We do have different musical tastes, and we have sorta mixed the styles that we each love. Our favorite styles include classic country, traditional and contemporary bluegrass. Folk, blues and of course southern gospel.
Sonya and Becky are very successful with their songwriting efforts, what are some of the inspirations for your songwriting? You two penned "Your Cries Have Awoken The Master" which won big at our Ovation Awards. Can you tell us the story behind that song?
We grew up around songwriting. Dad would write a lot while we were on long trips and we would sit and write for him while he drove. That’s where we learned a lot about rhyming and structure of songwriting. I was inspired to write “Your Cries Have Awoken The Master” from a friends experience. He was going through a lot at the time and told me that his pastor, who had prayed with him a lot about his struggles, had a dream about him. He dreamed that my friend was in a boat with the disciples and that there was a storm inside and outside the boat… He told him the Lord wanted him to know that “His cries had awoken Him” and that “soon peace would come” . It was such a powerful prophesy that I couldn’t get it out of my head. The chorus came to me easily then I went to Becky and asked her to help me write the verses. Together we finished it, and it has been one of the biggest blessings in my life! I feel such anointing when I hear Mike and Kelly Bowling sing it… God is so good. He shines through those storms so brilliantly!!!
What's Ben like on the road? Is Lily still "Mother" on the road? Who stays in trouble on the road?
Hmmmm…. I don’t know if I can tell ALL of our secrets!! Ha ha… Ben is a hard worker.. he has a lot on him so he’s very serious during load in, set up and tear down. He is a perfectionist! Mom is still the “mother” on the road! How did you know?? Lol.. She acts as Manager; advancing the dates, contacting the promoter, and dealing with the day to day necessities of what we do. She does take good care of us, and as you would imagine, is still “Road Mom”, even to our band members. Becky is the quiet one you gotta watch on the road!! Ha ha.. she is mischievous and loves to have fun. I guess I probably get in trouble most cause Im almost always running late!! My motto in 08 was “never late in 08”, then by the end of January, it changed to “Right on time in 09!!” lol. Im still workin on it!!
In the history of the Isaacs, was there a big break that came to skyrocket your careers?
We started breaking through when our song “I Have A Father Who Can” made top 10 in the Singing News Magazine.. I think that was in 1992 or 93. Then the follow up single “From The Depths of My Heart” was number one for 4 months which made a lot of people aware of our music. That was the first break through… then being invited to be a part of the Gaither Videos and Tour was another huge catapult for our career.
Sonya ventured a little into the Country music scene. What was that like? Has it opened any new doors for the Isaacs?
My 6 year visit to country music was an amazing opportunity! Although in terms of charting, it didn’t do as well as we hoped, it really was an incredible journey that has opened so many doors to our family. I met so many great people in the process, and befriended alot of country producers and artists who have invited us to sing with them and have recorded songs I have written. Being regulars on the Grand Ole Opry, and being invited to participate in elite Nashville projects has been a result my country career.
It's no secret that the Southern Gospel audience age is not a young person genre, what's it like for a young group like the Isaacs to sing nightly to the senior crowd?
Youre right, our style has been popular in the older generations, but we love singing to anyone, no matter how young or old! Different areas draw different crowds, and some of our audiences are a variety of age groups. We want to draw younger listeners too, so that our music lasts for generations to come!
I understand that you have just become engaged. Who is this lucky fella? Tell us a little of how you met him and what about him swept you off your feet. Give us a little information about the future wedding plans.
Yes! I am getting married December 20th this year!! I met my fiance- Jimmy Yeary in June this year at a writing appointment... He's a songwriter for Blacktop Publishing in Nashville and my publisher at Disney Music Publishing booked us to write together. He is an incredible singer and songwriter and has had lots of major cuts from artists like Rascall Flatts, Point of Grace, Randy Travis, Craig Morgan, Montgomery Gentry... and many more... Whats really amazing is that when we were kids Jimmy sang with his family The Yeary family, on the same tv show that my family did for several months in Kentucky! He remembers it well, and has kept up with us for years, claiming to have had a crush on me all this time (ha ha), while I sadly didnt remember it. (He was 14, and I was only 10). Anyway, the important thing is that we found each other again 25 years later, and are sure this is a God thing!! We are gonna have a small ceremony near Nashville, and will live in Hendersonville, TN.
Everything about him swept me off my feet... his personality, his creativity, his sense of humor, his looks, his talent, his love for God.. he truly has everything that I was praying for. God has given me the man of my dreams!! There are a few pics of us on http://www.theisaacs.com !
What can a Pastor or Promoter expect when they bring the Isaacs to their church of concert?
If a Pastor or Promoter wanted to book the Isaacs, how would they go about it?
When you book the Isaacs you can expect a professional performance that will suit the type of concert you are promoting. We work churches, fairs, auditoriums, arenas, and festivals, and we try to adjust our setlist to suit the type of audience we are singing to. Whether it’s a bluegrass crowd or a church service or a county fair, we want the listeners to relate to our music and we always present the gospel in a fun, entertaining way. We give you our best every single time and we love to uplift and encourage everyone we meet. To book the Isaacs, you can visit our website http://www.theisaacs.com and click on the link to the Harper Agency… or you can call them at 615-851-4500. We’d love to come!
http://www.theisaacs.com
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Congratulations, Sonya, on your upcoming marriage! I'm so so happy for you. God bless you both as you start your lives together.
Written: 12/01/2009 
Author: AGM
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