Sixpence None the Richer

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Sixpence None the Richer
Background information
Origin	New Braunfels, Texas, U.S.
Genre(s)	Pop rock, Adult Alternative
Years active	1992–2004 2007–present
Label(s)	R.E.X. Music(1993-1995) Flying Tart(1995-1996) Squint Entertainment(1997-2004) Warner Bros. Records(2001-2004) Reprise Records(2001-2004) Nettwerk(2008-)
Website	http://sixpence-ntr.com
Members
Leigh Nash Matt Slocum Justin Cary
Former members
Dale Baker Sean Kelly Tess Wiley Rob Mitchell Jerry Dale McFadden J.J. Plasencio TJ Behling

Sixpence None the Richer is an American rock/pop band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their song "Kiss Me", and their covers of "Don't Dream It's Over" and "There She Goes". The name of the band is inspired by a passage from the book Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.^[1]

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Formation and early years (1992–1996) 1.2 Into the mainstream (1997–2003) 1.3 The break-up (2004) 1.4 Leigh Nash solo work (2005–2007) 1.5 The reunion (2008) 2 Band members 2.1 Current members 2.2 Former members 3 Discography 3.1 Albums 3.1.1 Compilation Albums 3.1.2 EPs 3.2 Singles 3.3 Leigh Neash Releases 3.4 Contributions 3.5 Covers 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Formation and early years (1992–1996)

Guitarist/songwriter Matt Slocum met vocalist Leigh Bingham Nash in the early 1990s. They recorded a demo with bassist TJ Behling (which now circulates as The Original Demos) at Verge Music Works recording studio in Dallas, and eventually an album, The Fatherless and the Widow, for the independent label REX Music in 1993. The record featured Chris Dodds of Slocum's first band (Love Coma) on drums. Shortly after the release of The Fatherless and the Widow, Slocum left Love Coma to pursue Sixpence None the Richer full-time. The band added Tess Wiley (guitar) Joel Bailey (bass) and Dale Baker (drums) to tour in support of The Fatherless and The Widow. On this tour the band criss-crossed the US, opening for the Choir, the newly reformed 10,000 Maniacs, Audio Adrenaline, Pray For Rain, Over The Rhine, and more. In the fall of 1994, the band left for their first tour of Europe. The club and festival tour saw them performing with bands such as the Proclaimers, Newsboys, Julie & Buddy Miller, and many more. The band added J.J. Plasencio (bass) for 1995's This Beautiful Mess. Both albums were produced by Armand John Petri, 10,000 Maniacs and John & Mary, who also managed the band from 1993 to 1997. Shortly after the release of This Beautiful Mess, Wiley left the band

[edit] Into the mainstream (1997–2003)

In 1997, the group signed to Steve Taylor's label Squint Entertainment and released a self-titled album, which slowly began garnering attention from a wider audience in the mainstream industry. Although Placencio played bass on most of the album, he left the band before it was released and was replaced by Justin Carry, who joined the band around the same time as second guitarist Sean Kelly.

In 1998, "Kiss Me" was released as a single, propelling Sixpence None the Richer into the national pop spotlight. That year the song was also featured in the film She's All That as the newly made-over protagonist, Laney Boggs, is revealed, and again at the end, during the film's credits. In 2001 the film Not Another Teen Movie would use the song in a parody of that scene. "Kiss Me" was also played on the WB teen drama Dawson's Creek in episodes #2-06 "The Dance" and #2-18 "The Perfect Wedding," and is found on the show's first soundtrack CD, Songs from Dawson's Creek (Volume 1) and also played at the televised wedding of England's Prince Edward.

In 1999, the band recorded a cover of The La's' "There She Goes", which became their second hit single and propelled them into the limelight again. Sixpence has appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and numerous morning talk shows, as well as had their music hit #1 status in 11 countries.

In 2000, Sixpence None the Richer contributed the song "Us" to Today Presents: the Best of Summer Concert Series CD, which raised money for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. Later that year, the band recorded a Japanese version of "Kiss Me", which was released exclusively in Japan on an EP with numerous versions of the song, as well as remixes of other songs on the self-titled album.

The band had a follow-up album ready to release, but their label Squint Entertainment started to fall apart, leaving the band in limbo for several years. Finally, Squint Entertainment folded and that album, Divine Discontent, was released in October 2002.

Baker left the band before that album's release and was replaced by Rob Mitchell. The album itself differs significantly from the first pre-release version of it that had circulated: the songs "Us," "Deeper," "Don't Pass Me By," "Too Far Gone," "Northern Lights," and "Loser Like Me" were cut, and "Down and Out of Time," "A Million Parachutes," "Tonight," "Waiting on the Sun," and a cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream (It's Over)" were added. All of the unreleased songs were eventually featured on singles or compilations, with the exception of "Deeper".

[edit] The break-up (2004)

On February 26, 2004, Matt Slocum announced that the group had disbanded. On July 22, 2004, it was reported that Matt Slocum had started a new band, the Astronaut Pushers, with Lindsay Jamieson (of the band Departure Lounge) and Sam Ashworth (son of influential musician Charlie Peacock). John Davis (of the band Superdrag) joined the band in 2005. The Astronaut Pushers released a self-titled, four-song EP on their own label, Runway Network, in 2005. Sam Ashworth reported via MySpace that he and Slocum had acquired and was operating a recording studio in Nashville in early 2006.

[edit] Leigh Nash solo work (2005–2007)

Leigh Nash began work on a solo album titled Blue On Blue with producer Pierre Marchand in the fall of 2005. Nash's first single "My Idea of Heaven" was released on July 14, 2006. The album Blue On Blue was released by Nettwerk Records under Nash's own imprint, One Son Records and the album's official release date was August 15, 2006, she also released a Christmas EP Wishing For This on 14 November 2006. The song "Ocean Size Love" from Blue On Blue seems to be the second single of Blue On Blue, and yet was never promoted.

In 2007, Leigh Nash worked a collaboration with Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Delerium called Fauxliage. Leigh contributed her vocals to the songs "All the World", "Some Day the Wind", "Draw My Life", "Let It Go", "Without You", "Rafe" and "All Alone". The songs "Let It Go" and "All the World" were used in the drama series Moonlight.

[edit] The reunion (2008)

In November 2007, Sixpence None the Richer reunited. In October 2008, they released their first Christmas album entitled The Dawn of Grace.^[2] Vocalist Leigh Nash commented, "Sixpence fans have been asking for a Christmas album for as long as I can remember. It was something we always wanted to do, but somehow time got away from us. Now that we are back together, we thought a Christmas album would be a nice gift for our long-time supporters. We love it and hope they will too!"

In December 2008 Sixpence joined the "Love Come Down Christmas 2008 Tour" to play songs from The Dawn of Grace, along with Jars of Clay, Leeland and Sara Groves.

[edit] Band members

[edit] Current members

• Matt Slocum – guitar, cello
• Leigh Nash – vocals
• Justin Cary – bass (1997–2004, 2008–)

[edit] Former members

• TJ Behling - bass (1990–1994)
• Joel Bailey - bass (1994–1995)
• Dale Baker – drums (1995–2001)
• Tess Wiley – guitar (1995–1996) also in Sixpence None the Richer 2008 European Tour
• J.J. Plasencio – bass (1995–1996)
• Sean Kelly – guitar (1997–2004)
• Rob Mitchell – drums (2001–2004)
• Jerry Dale McFadden – keyboard (2001–2004)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year	Album	U.S.	U.S. Heatseekers	U.S. Christian	UK Albums Chart[3]	RIAA Certification
1994	The Fatherless & the Widow	—	—	—	—
1995	This Beautiful Mess	—	—	—	—
1997	Sixpence None the Richer	89	1	1	27	Platinum
2002	Divine Discontent	154	—	9	—	Gold
2008	The Dawn of Grace	—	—	47	—

[edit] Compilation Albums

Year	Album
1993	The Original Demos
2002	Mega 3 Collection
2004	The Best of Sixpence None the Richer
2005	The Early Years
2009	Greatest Hits

[edit] EPs

Year	Album
1996	Tickets for a Prayer Wheel
2008	My Dear Machine

• Notes:

1. Sixpence None the Richer were no longer eligible to appear on the U.S. Heatseekers chart after the Sixpence None the Richer album appeared in the Top 100 of the Billboard 200.

[edit] Singles

Year	Single	Album	U.S.	U.S. AC	U.S. Adult Top 40	UK Singles Chart[3]	AUS	RIAA Certification
1995	"Angeltread"	This Beautiful Mess	—	—	—	—	—
1998/1999	"Kiss Me"	Sixpence None the Richer	2	2	2	4	1	Gold
1999	"There She Goes"	Sixpence None the Richer	32	19	7	14	47
2000	"I Can't Catch You"	Sixpence None the Richer	—	—	—	—	—
2002	"Breathe Your Name"	Divine Discontent	—	—	18	—	—
2003	"Don't Dream It's Over"	Divine Discontent	78	12	9	—	—
2008	"Angels We Have Heard on High"	The Dawn of Grace	—	—	—	—	—
2008	"Silent Night"	The Dawn of Grace	—	—	—	—	—

[edit] Leigh Neash Releases

• 2000 – Need to Be Next to You
• 2006 – Blue on Blue
• 2006 – Wishing for This
• 2008 – Stars in My Eyes

[edit] Contributions

• Exodus (1997, Rocketown Records) - "Brighten My Heart"
• Songs From the Book (1999, Word Entertainment) - "Trust 99"
• Streams (1999, Word Entertainment) - "Breathe"
• City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise (2000, Essential Records) - "With Every Breath", "You're Here"
• Mercy Streets Soundtrack (2000, NSoul Records) - "Love [Remix]"
• One Silent Night (2000, Word Entertainment) - "Babe In The Straw" (Leigh Nash only)
• One (2000, Word Entertainment) - "Love [Ben Grosse Remix]"
• Roaring Lambs (2000, Squint) - "The Ground You Shook"
• City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time (2002, Essential Records) - "Silent Night"
• For the Kids (2002, Nettwerk) - "Good Night Children Everywhere"
• City On A Hill: The Gathering (2003, Essential Records) - "Beautiful Scandalous Night (with Bebo Norman)"
• Lynne Me Your Ears - A Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne (2003, Not Lame Recordings) - "On the Run"
• Maybe This Christmas Too? (2003, Nettwerk) - "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
• A Winter's Night (2003, Nettwerk) - "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
• Smallville: The Talon Mix (Original Soundtrack) (2005, Elektra) - "Don't Dream it's Over"
• In the Name of Love: Artists United For Africa (2004, Sparrow Records) - "Love is Blindness"
• CrossCuts: Top Pop Hits Performed By Your Favorite Christian Artists (2008, Word Entertainment) - "Don't Dream it's Over"

[edit] Covers

Sixpence None the Richer has recorded a number of cover songs for compilations and soundtrack albums throughout their career, including:

• "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (How the Grinch Stole Christmas),
• "Bouquet" (Steve Taylor),
• "Road to Zion" (Petra),
• "Love Letters in the Sand" (Patsy Cline, Pat Boone and others),
• "Carry You" (Sam Phillips),
• "On the Run" (Electric Light Orchestra),
• "Dancing Queen" (ABBA),
• "I Need Love" (Sam Phillips),
• "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (The Beach Boys),
• "Beautiful Scandalous Night" (The Choir),
• "Christmastime Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Peanuts),
• "Goodnight Children Everywhere" (Vera Lynn),
• "Don't Dream It's Over" (Crowded House),
• "Love Is Blindness" (U2),
• "Every Heartbeat" (Amy Grant),
• "There She Goes" (The La's).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Site (Controlled by Word Records)
• The Vine (Sixpence Discussion Group)
• Methnen's Mess (Sixpence News and Media)
• Sixpence None the Richer Radio (Pandora Internet Radio)
• Sixpence None the Richer Radio & info (Last. Fm radio)
• dalebakerdrummer.com (Dale Baker Drummer Web Site)
• Sirens of Song: Leigh Nash
• JJ Plasencio Website (JJ Plasencio Bassist Website)
• Currey Ingram Academy (School where former band member Sean Kelly teaches math and music to children with learning disabilities)

v • d • e Sixpence None the Richer Leigh Nash · Matt Slocum · Sean Kelly · Justin Carry · Jerry Dale McFadden · Dale Baker · Rob Mitchell Tess Wiley · J.J. Plasencio · TJ Behling Studio albums The Fatherless and the Widow · This Beautiful Mess · Sixpence None the Richer · Divine Discontent · The Dawn of Grace EPs Tickets for a Prayer Wheel · My Dear Machine Compilation albums The Original Demos · Mega 3 Collection · The Best of Sixpence None the Richer · The Early Years · Greatest Hits Leigh Nash releases Blue on Blue · Wishing for This · Stars In My Eyes Singles "Kiss Me" · "I Can't Catch You" · "There She Goes" · "Breathe Your Name" · "Don't Dream It's Over" Related articles Squint Entertainment · Reprise Records · The La's · Crowded House