The Isaacs to perform Saturday

Apr. 21—Ben, Becky and Sonya Isaacs were born into the music and entertainment industry and early on showed promising talent.

Lily Isaacs, mother of the three, began the Nashville-based group The Isaacs with her ex-husband, Joe, shortly after they were married in the 1970s.

"We were entertainers before we were married," Lily said. "The children picked up their instruments of choice and were talented from a young age. It wasn't really a plan, it's just evolved into what it is today."

Ben plays bass, sings and is a record producer; Becky is a singer, songwriter and guitar player; Sonya is a singer, songwriter and mandolin player; and Lily sings with the band.

"It's something we love to do," Lily said, "and we've been fortunate enough to have great opportunities."

Lily said there are a few things that make the family band standout.

"I've always heard family harmonies are hard to beat," she said. "I think that when my family and I sing together, it sounds right. It's in the DNA. When you see families perform together, it makes a big difference."

The Isaacs were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2021, and Lily said the band began with no expectations.

"We didn't know what to expect," she said. "In the last 10 to 12 years, we've built some attention between becoming members of the Grand Ole Opry and joining the Reba (McEntire) tour this spring. We're grateful for these opportunities."

Lily said the band has only really had one goal.

"We want to go out there and perform, doing what we do and try to uplift people's spirits and give them hope," she said.

The family dabbles in different genres — Americana, country, gospel.

"We don't just do gospel, we do secular songs as well," Lily said. "Because of the acoustic instruments we use, I'd classify us as Americana sound, but we also have an electric guitar depending on the song. It's just a mish-mash of what feels good to us."

All members of the family have different tastes in music, which allows inspiration to be drawn from different places, Lily said.

"There's really not one particular band or person that we would want to pattern after," she said. "We have a lot of respect for huge stars in our business that we've known personally, like Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire. A lot of people have had an influence on our lives, even though we don't sound like them when we perform."

There are some moments in the band's career that do stick out.

"When we traveled with the Gaither Music Group for about 12 years on the road, we got to do Carnegie Hall, which was so beautiful," Lily said. "Just on the Reba tour these past few months, we got to do the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden."

Lily said her favorite part of performing is being able to see the emotions f audience members during a show.

"I love connecting with the audience that way," she said. "People come up to us after the show or email us about a certain song changing their lives or giving them hope."

The Isaacs perform a song about surviving cancer, as Lily is a survivor.

"Seeing that we make a difference in the world, I think, is the most important feeling that we have," she said. "We're doing something that matters."

One important part of the band's performances is the honor they show veterans and the Unites States.

"My mother and father are both Holocaust survivors from Poland," Lily said. "I was born in Germany after the war, and we came to America when I was a baby. We're very patriotic and loving our country for what America has done for our family. We feel like we're living the American dream."

The Isaacs will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at www.bluegrasshall.org/event/the-isaacs-2.