Jeff and Sheri Easter were born into musical families. “I started singing with the Easter Brothers when I was 13,” says Jeff.
Sheri joined her family band, the Lewis Family when she was 16. “My mother was ill and had to be off the road for six weeks, so I filled in for her.” As their website says, Gospel music is genetically programmed into the Easters’ DNA. “It was natural for us to be surrounded by family who would sing praises,” laughs Sheri.
Jeff eventually left his family’s Gospel group. He ended up playing bass for The Singing Americans, a popular North Carolina-based Southern Gospel touring group in the 1980s and early 1990s. In August 1984, The Singing Americans played at the Albert E. Brumley Sundown to Sunup Gospel Sing in Arkansas. The Lewis Family was performing as well. Jeff and Sheri were introduced, and soon romantic sparks flew. They got married ten months later, in June 1985.
The couple traveled and performed with the Lewis Family band for a time. They left the Lewis Family in 1988, intending to pursue a career independently.
“We went on our own full time on New Year’s Day 1989,” says Sheri.
Jeff and Sheri never looked back. They have made a life and a living around music, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We travel every weekend,” Sheri says. “We put about 100,000 miles a year on our bus.” Covid put a stop to that for a time. “It was the weirdest thing,” recalls Sheri. “ “At first, it was three weeks. It was wonderful being at home because we never have that much continuous time at home. We got projects done that we had put off or not finished because normally we only have a couple of days at home at a time.”
But as the pandemic wore on, the Easters decided to work on their beach house in South Carolina. “Then we went to the lake,” laughs Jeff. “We have had rental properties for years, but we were able to really work on them and see what they needed.”
Sheri says the pandemic saved them $60,000 on diesel fuel the first year of the pandemic. “I have a Master’s in business,” Sheri says. “If someone had told me that we would have to sit it out for several months, I would have said no way. We lost 101 of the 200 dates we had booked. Yet, we had enough money saved up and the income stream from the rental properties that allowed us to pay every bill. It was such a blessing for us.”
The couple lives in Lincolnton, Georgia, near Augusta. They have three children, Morgan, Maura, and Madison. Morgan joined Jeff and Sheri as a vocalist when she was 14. Her husband, Landon, played drums for Jeff and Sheri for many years. He began touring with them when he was just 14 years old. Madison played with the band until he was 26. He married his wife, Shannon, and the couple now resides in Los Angeles. Madison and his wife have two children, and Morgan and her husband are expecting number two.
The youngest Easter child, Maura, made her first appearance on stage with the band when she was just eleven days old. She is now a junior in high school.
The Easters traveled with the Gaither Vocal Band for thirty years, and they still do cruises with them and shows in Gatlinburg. About fifty percent of the songs they play are originals. “I write some,” says Jeff, “but Sheri writes a lot. She is a really good songwriter.” Jeff says he leans more towards country and Gospel, while Sheri likes a little more pop. The GRAMMY-nominated music is tinged with country, and their harmonies are flawless. Watching them sing is like watching two people who have completed each other’s sentences for decades. Their love for one another and Jesus Christ shines through their songs, many of which describe everyday life events.
“We want to encourage people with our songs,” says Jeff. “That’s what we do -- day in and day out, we try to encourage people.”
After spending 37 years on the road, Jeff and Sheri say they don’t know how to do anything else. “We are enjoying being grandparents,” Sheri says. But the road calls, so the Easters will gas up the bus and head to the next show. “We are so blessed to do what we love and to do it with each other,” she says. The Easters will have a new album, Treasure, released on February 10 on all retail and digital outlets.
