Jennifer McCarter (born 1964) and her twin sisters Lisa McCarter and Teresa McCarter (born 1966) were born in Sevierville, a Tennessee town best known as the birthplace of Dolly Parton. The daughters of an amateur banjo-playing father and gospel-singing mother, Jennifer and her sisters were born to perform. However, they reassessed their burgeoning career as a clog-dancing troupe when the endeavor proved to have a glass ceiling. Jennifer picked up her father's Martin guitar and learned to sing, and soon her sisters were adding harmony vocals. After performing on-stage and in the streets of their hometown, the young trio moved to Nashville, where pestering and tenacity led to an audition with Randy Travis' manager, Kyle Lehning. In 1987, the McCarters signed a contract with Warner Bros., who were seeking an act like their successful Forester Sisters. A year later, their debut LP, The Gift, appeared. It included the Top Ten hits "Timeless and True Love" and its title track, and the group promoted the album with a worldwide tour supporting Travis. The girls returned three years later with Better Be Home Soon, which heightened the role of lead vocalist Jennifer and diminished the harmonies that had been the hallmark of their success. The album's reception was lukewarm at best, and mustered only minor chart activity. The McCarters were released from Warner Bros., and spent the 1990s focusing on live performances, appearances, and celebrity endorsements. ~ Johnny Loftus