The year is 1997 and the DuPree kids (Weston, Sherri, Chauntelle and 8-year old Stacy) are playing in their Tyler, Texas home. Living the rural life and doing things that little ones do, they picked up dad’s guitar and started singing songs. It was instantly apparent that these siblings had something special. The following year they got a residency at a coffee shop and began to tour their local market with good friend Jonathon Wilson on bass.  Although noted for dangling their toes in the water’s of Christian Rock, the songs are led by strong vocals and a pristine indie-pop sound that never comes across as preachy. Before long they were opening for Coldplay and were invited to the 2003 and 2005 Coachella Festivals.  2005 also marked the release of their debut album, Room Noises, as well as the year that cousin Garron DuPree took over on bass, making this a true family band.  2007 found considerable growth with their sophomore effort, Combinations, pushing the band into darker, more adventurous territory.  Eleven years into their career, Eisley is stronger than ever and are currently touring hard (dates available here). Come along and find out what it’s like for this family who lives life On The Road…

Name: Sherri Kay Gilbert

Band(s): Eisley

Instrument(s): Vocals, Guitar

Nicknames: SherrBear, Sherri-Berry

Place You Call Home: Tyler, Texas

Last album to flip your lid: Jeremy Enigk World Waits

Album you always take on tour: New Found Glory Coming Home

What would someone always find in your van or tour bus?  What supplies don't you leave home without?

Ipod, A stack of books (I'm reading Ray Bradbury's October Country right now). Pictures of my husband and family for my bunk, Burts Bee's Thoroughly Therapeutic Lotion (the bus dries out your skin!!), DVD's (I brought the “Heroes Season 1" this tour… SO GOOD!).

What personal rituals do you have to help keep your sanity while on tour?

I watch a lot of movies, especially on drive-days, they keep you sane. My favorite tour-sanity movies are Pride And Prejudice (the new one) and Zoolander.

Speaking of rituals, does the band have a pre-show ritual to help prepare for the stage?

Nothing much...just a little warmin' up of the vocalizers.  Maybe some high fives... a few spin crescent kicks.

Audiences come in all shapes and sizes. What's the screwiest fan encounter you've had?

Once Stacy had this girl bring her a little knapsack with weird things in it like an old book, a bandana, a dingy old blue jean jacket and a note that said she wanted Stacy to borrow these things but that she HAD to return it next time we came to her city.  No offense, if the gal reads this, but it was a bit odd, you have to agree.

What's a great, positive fan encounter you've had?

Positive fan encounters happen when they bring us Starbucks cards.... (hee-hee).

What's the strangest thing you've seen from the stage while performing?

A beer bottle coming towards Stacy's head.

What's the first thing you like to do after a show?

Call my husband (if he's on tour and not with me) and then eat a bowl of cereal.  I always do exactly that.

Tell us about a great road food stop you've discovered in your travels.

My favorite place to find on tour is Panera Bread.  I LOVE the Turkey Artichoke Panini.  Also in Seattle there's a place called Bauhaus Books & Coffee.  I always get the blackberry or almond Italian soda.

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a (fill in the blank) because (fill in the blank).

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a cereal inventor because I just love cereal that much.

(Fill In the Blank) Is the baddest motha on the planet.

David Bowie as Jarrett the Goblin King in Labyrinth is the baddest motha on the planet.

Your band mates will often reveal strange things about themselves during a tour. What stuff have your fellow musicians shown you that took you aback or delighted you?

Since everyone in the band is closely related to me, I pretty much knew everything about them before we started touring together.  I'm always taken aback AND delighted by the horrible and wonderful things Weston and Garron come up with to make jokes about.  If I ever need to laugh I just go find them.

Name a few things we'd find on your rider.

Cereal!! A gallon of milk, turkey, wheat bread, Vitamin Water, juices, granola bars, veggie trays, fruit, etc... Boring survival food basically... except for the cereal.  That's never boring.

What was the musical highlight of your last or current tour and why?

The current highlight of the last tour and this tour as well is that we're on a bus instead of fitting 10 + people in a 15 passenger van.  TOURING LIFE RULES NOW BECAUSE OF IT!!!