The Isaacs were having a big night already on Aug. 10 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Active members Ben Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs Yeary, Rebecca Isaacs Bowman and their mother, family group co-founder Lily Isaacs, went on last with an extended set to celebrate the Aug. 13 release of their latest album, The American Face.
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Things took a surprise turn during The Isaacs' set when fellow bluegrass, gospel and country music performer Ricky Skaggs surprised the quartet onstage. What initially appeared to be a presentation of a framed award commemorating a new, family harmony-driven album wound up being something 25 years in the making for the band (50 in the making if we count Lily's musical journey since her salvation experience).
Skaggs invited The Isaacs to join the Grand Ole Opry cast, which Sonya answered with a resounding "Yes, of course we will marry you!"
To make things official on Tuesday night (Sept. 14), Skaggs and his own talented kinfolks The Whites inducted the active Isaacs lineup plus Ben, Sonya and Rebecca's dad: retired performer and songwriter Joe Isaacs.
"When we think of all the people there are in the whole world, we feel we must be the most loved by God because this is such a wonderful night," said Sonya. "We've already felt like family in our hearts and tonight it becomes an official wedding."
The evening closed with a star-studded rendition of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," teaming Joe and The Isaacs with fellow Opry members Skaggs, The Whites, Connie Smith, Mark Wills, The Gatlin Brothers and John Conlee.
Though multiple genres of music influence their style (and the covers selection on The American Face ranges from Chicago to Extreme), the family's trophy case of Dove Awards and individual testimonies make them synonymous with Southern gospel.
"The Isaacs are musical treasures. They are family," said Opry Vice President and Executive Producer Dan Rogers in a press release. "I think, 'man, is our audience lucky tonight' every single time they take our stage. We're honored they love the Opry like they do, and I am excited about the prospect of them delivering their powerful songs from the Opry circle for years to come."
