NASHVILLE, Tenn.—May 23rd, 2018—GRAMMY®-nominated and award-winning family group The Isaacs have just re-recorded some of their classic hits and most-requested songs. Favorites: Revisited by Request (Gaither Music Group), an audio recording set to release on June 1st, features the intricate, family harmonies that have made them a household name among gospel, bluegrass and country music lovers and led them to performances on some of the world’s most-celebrated stages.
“When you sing a song for years and years it naturally changes,” stated group member Sonya Isaacs Yeary. “You’ll emphasize a word differently, or a harmony part might change a little bit. An inflection or a way that you say it or sing it might change. You just get comfortable with a song, and the more you sing it together the better it gets. The more we sing these songs the more we enjoy singing them.”
That list of songs includes such signatures as “It Is Well (Elisha’s Song),” “I’ve Come to Take You Home,” “He Understands My Tears,” “Stand Still” and more including “Is Not This the Land of Beulah,” which Ben Isaacs described as a song he relates to in a new way these days.
“That song, to me, is timeless; but I think as I’m maturing and getting older I’m understanding more about the Land of Beulah and heaven and where I want to be in my relationship with God. When you’re younger you don’t always focus on the future. You focus on the ‘right now.’ I see that song in a new way now.”
The group put a bit of a new twist on the barn-burner “He Ain’t Never Done Me Nothing but Good.” “That song will go with us to the grave,” stated Becky Isaacs Bowman with a smile. “We can’t go a night without singing it.”
“We added a couple of musicians to this recording of it,” Sonya described. “Gordon Mote played piano. Aubrey Haynie played fiddle. Russell Carson played banjo…they smoked their solos on this track!”
“In the studio, the only thing we did with these songs is that we made them just a touch more current,” stated Ben. “They are still the same melodies. They are the same songs, but we just made them a little more musically what we are today. We tried to keep them as original and traditional-feeling as we could.”
No collection of Isaacs’ favorites would be complete without selections that feature their un-comparable a cappella arrangements, which garner consistent standing ovations in venues ranging from concert halls and churches to bluegrass festivals. Fans will enjoy their requested rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as well as “I Have a Father Who Can.”
Another track that is special to The Isaacs is “From the Depths of My Heart,” a hit penned by Sonya and Ben. “This year is the 25th anniversary of this song,” stated Lily Isaacs. “It was a number one song in gospel music for several months when we first recorded it. We thought, ‘How cool would that be to re-record something after 25 years?’ A lot of the fans that we’ve met in the last 10 or 15 years may have never heard it.”
“Looking at this selection of songs, it’s exciting to think that 25 years later, the lyrics that we penned then and the lyrics that we chose to sing 25 years ago still stand the test of time,” added Bowman. “I can’t say there’s one song on this record I’m ashamed of or embarrassed of or that I theologically disagree with today, and that’s important. These songs we sang and believed in 25 or 30 years ago when we were establishing our careers still stand the test of time.”
Time has been good to Lily, Becky, Ben and Sonya. The Isaacs are one of the most recognized groups on the Bill Gaither HOMECOMING Video Series, and they continue to enjoy a heavy touring schedule that includes appearances on The Grand Ole Opry as they seamlessly blend bluegrass, southern gospel, folk and country music styles. In addition to their own accolades, they have performed and recorded with such legends as Dolly Parton, Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, Paul Simon, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Randy Owen, Trisha Yearwood, Ralph Stanley, Mark Lowry and many more.
This new release comes on the heels of two 2017 GMA DOVE Award nominations for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year and Bluegrass/Country/Roots Recorded Song of the Year in addition to a 2016 GRAMMY® Award nomination for Best Roots Gospel Album.
Favorites: Revisited by Request is distributed by Capitol Christian Music Distribution and Universal Music. It will be available at retail and digital outlets worldwide including iTunes, Amazon, www.gaither.com and www.theisaacs.com. It is available for pre-sale now at www.amazon.com, www.gaither.com and www.theisaacs.com.
The new recording will be advertised as part of a special television offer on DISH TV, DirecTV, RFD-TV, Gaither Television Network, TBN, FamilyNet, CTN, GMC, GMTN, Guardian, Liberty, TCT and TLN. It will air in Canada on Vision TV, CTS, The Miracle Channel and Hope TV. It will be promoted via a social media campaign, positioned in retail/e-tail outlets everywhere, featured in the Gaither Catalog Collection and on the Gaither web site and aired on the “HOMECOMING Weekly” program on Sirius XM’s enLighten channel.
For further information regarding The Isaacs, visit www.theisaacs.com or https://www.facebook.com/TheIsaacs/.
Favorites: Revisited by Request CD Song Listing:
1. The Star-Spangled Banner
2. It Is Well (Elisha’s Song)
3. He Never Failed Me
4. Is Not This the Land of Beulah
5. He Ain’t Never Done Me Nothin’ but Good
6. He Understands My Tears
7. I’ve Come to Take You Home
8. I Have a Father Who Can
9. By His Stripes
10. Stand Still
11. From the Depths of My Heart
ABOUT THE ISAACS
The Isaacs is a multi-award-winning family group that blends tight, family harmony with contemporary acoustic instrumentation, winning the praise of critics and the loyalty of audiences all over the world. The group, known for their hair-raising blends, perform frequently at The Grand Ole Opry and are favorites on the Gaither Homecoming Video and Concert Series. The group has received honors and nominations from organizations ranging from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and the Inspirational Country Music Awards (ICMAs) to The Singing News Fan Awards and the GMA DOVE Awards. They have performed with legendary performers such as Dolly Parton, Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, Paul Simon, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Randy Owen, Trisha Yearwood, Ralph Stanley, Mark Lowry and many more.
