Eisley - Biography
By Scott Feemster
Eisley are a pop/rock band hailing from Tyler, Texas, that consist of three sisters, a brother, and a first cousin. Their brand of whimsical pop music has one them fans all over the world, and the group have released two full length albums to date.
The group that would eventually become Eisley started in 1997 when sisters Chauntelle and Sherri DuPree started writing songs together on their guitars in their bedroom. Their younger sister Stacy wanted to join in, but the older sisters thought she was too young. After Stacy ended up writing a song by herself that her sisters liked, she was included in the band, and took up mostly vocal and keyboard duties. Soon after, their younger brother Weston was included on drums. The parents of the DuPrees, Boyd and Kim DuPree, ran a coffeehouse called Brewtones Coffee Galaxy out of the space of their church when it wasn't being used. The new group, calling themselves the Towheads, became the house band at the coffeehouse, and played numerous weekend shows over the years, developing their chops and coming up with their sweet, vocally-based pop sound. The three sisters and one brother initially played with their friend Amy Whittaker on bass, and when she left in 1998, they drafted another friend, Taylor Muse, to fill in. When Muse joined the band, they changed their name to Moss Eisley, ( a reference to a town featured in the Star Wars movies), but Muse wasn't able to continue for long with the band, and so the siblings eventually got another friend, Jonathan Wilson, to fill in the bass slot in the band. After playing countless shows at Brewtones, the group began branching out, and started playing other all-ages venues and churches in the Dallas area. The novelty of having an all-family band consisting of such young musicians was one thing, but the fact that the DuPrees were able to deliver memorable songs and could play and harmonize so well and connect with their audiences was what put them over the top.
The group expanded their gigs to all over Texas, and expanded their fan base via the Internet. The group grew so popular by 2003, that they were named the 'Best New Artist' at the local Dallas Observer Music Awards. The same year, fearing some possible legal ramifications, the group shortened their name down to just Eisley, and released their first EP, titled Laughing City (Record Collection). Eisley enjoyed some local Dallas area airplay with the song “Telescope Eyes”, and that, and their increasing live work and huge following on the Internet, caused them to be courted by some of the major label record companies. After fielding several offers, the group decided to sign with Warner Brothers/Reprise Records in 2003. Once signed to Reprise, the group immediately recorded an EP, Marvelous Things (Reprise), which introduced their brand of pop to a wider national and international audience. The group spent the next year opening for such bands as New Found Glory, Snow Patrol, Ron Sexsmith, Coldplay, Switchfoot, Taking Back Sunday and Hot Hot Heat, and spent the latter part of 2004 recording material that would make it on to their next EP, Telescope Eyes (Reprise), released at the beginning of 2005, and their debut full-length album, Room Noises (Reprise), released in February. Room Noises was immediately hailed by critics for its quirky charm, the group's heavenly vocal harmonies, and the surprisingly sharp songwriting. The group had a minor hit with the single “Telescope Eyes” off of the album, and had a video of the song that got some play on MTV and music video outlets. Bassist Jon Wilson amicably left the band in the summer of 2005, and was replaced by yet another DuPree, this time younger cousin Garron DuPree. The group continued to tour in support of Room Noises, and by the early part of 2007, returned to the studio to record their follow-up album, Combinations (Reprise), released in August of that year. Combinations saw the band take on a darker, more rock-oriented sound, but the group's fans and music critics seemed to approve of the band's evolving sound, and Combinations sold in greater numbers than did Room Noises. The group toured across the United States and played dates in Europe as well, including the Carling Festival in the U.K. The band also made their national television debut when they played on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in the summer of 2007. The group ended out the year by playing a homecoming gig at Brewtones in Tyler, Texas to an appreciative audience. As of last date, the group are back home in Tyler, working on a new album for release sometime in 2009.