The Archers (musical Group) - Early Years

Early Years

Growing up the sons of a pastor in the San Joaquin Valley of northern California, Tim and Steve Archer began singing in their father’s church during their childhood. Eventually they branched out to other churches in the San Francisco Bay area. In the mid-1960s they spent their summers touring with their older brother Gary as the gospel trio, "The Archer Bros." This was a pivotal period in the group's evolution to what eventually became known as contemporary Christian music, since it was the first time they began to incorporate their own electric accompaniment, a rare introduction to evangelical Christian music of the time. In 1966, Tim and Steve entered a talent search contest and placed second nationally. In 1967 with both Tim and Gary playing guitar they began an evolution toward an even more Contemporary sound. Before long (with Gary moving into artist management), they took on additional personnel, drummer Fred Satterfied and guitarist Billy Rush Masters and Steve Smart then later adding vocalist Nancye Short after Smart's departure, taking the name The Archers.