The "Easter Song" was a song written by Annie Herring, a member of the "2nd Chapter of Acts."  The trio was composed of Annie and her sister, Nelly Griesen and brother Matthew Ward.  Annie and her husband, Buck, took care of Kelly and Matthew, as they were minors when their parents died in 1968.  They would sing around the family piano, and began to sing at local coffee houses and small gatherings in the 1970's.  Later, they became acquainted with other musicians of that time--Barry McGuire, Pat Boone, and Jimmy Owens.

When Annie wrote "Easter Song," she believed that the song should be sung by a choir, and not their group.  But she shared it with a friend, Jimmy Owens, and he felt he could use it in a musical.  He encouraged the trio to sing it.  With an addition of some drums, and energetic keyboards by Michael Omartian, the music and words captured the joy of the resurrection, and became very popular.  The words are:

Here the bells ringing

They're singing that you can be born again

Hear the bells ringing

Theyre singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone

Said He has risen, just as He said

Quickly now, go tell his disciples

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He has risen, hallelujah

He's risen, hallelujah

He's risen, hallelujah