Sixpence None the Richer
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Sixpence None the Richer was a rock band from Austin, Texas, named after a passage in C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.
Guitarist/songwriter Matt Slocum met vocalist Leigh Bingham Nash at a church retreat in the early 1990s.
The group recorded a number of creative albums and earned a small but loyal following. In 1997, the group signed to Steve Taylor's Squint Entertainment and released a self titled album that would catapult them into instant stardom. A short, quirky tune called "Kiss Me", that was nearly left off the album by the band, became the band's first number one single. The Grammy nominated song became the top airplay song in over 10 countries including Canada, the UK, Japan (later, the band re-recorded "Kiss Me" with Japanese lyrics), Australia, and Israel and was also featured in a number of motion pictures (She's All That) and TV Shows (Dawson's Creek, Saturday Night Live, MTV's The Real World, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives and others). The video for the song became VH1's number 1 video for the entire month of May. In June of 1999, "Kiss Me" was featured during the BBC's worldwide broadcast of Prince Edward's wedding ceremonies, at the request of Britain's royal family. Over 200 million viewers tuned in.
In 2000, the band recorded a cover of The La's "There She Goes", which became their second hit single. Also that year, Sixpence contributed a song to Today Presents: the Best of Summer Concert Series CD, which raised money for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance.
The band had a followup album ready to release, but unfortunately, Squint Entertainment started to fall apart - leaving the band in limbo for several years. Finally, Squint Entertainment was purchased by Word Records and that album, Divine Discontent, was released in October of 2002.
The band has what is almost a second career recording covers of other people's music for compilations and soundtrack albums. In addition to the previously mentioned "There She Goes", the band has recorded versions of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), "I Just Wasn't Made for these Times" (The Beach Boys), "On The Run" (Electric Light Orchestra), "Bouquet" (Steve Taylor), "I Need Love" (Sam Phillips), "Carry You" (Sam Phillips), "Don't Dream (It's Over)" (Crowded House), "Christmastime Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Peanuts), "Love Letters in the Sand" (Patsy Cline, Pat Boone and others), "Goodnight Children Everywhere" (Vera Lynn), "Road to Zion" (Petra), "Dancing Queen" (ABBA) and "Love Is Blindness" (U2).
On February 26, 2004, it was announced the group had disbanded.
On July 22, 2004 CCMBuzz (http://www.ccmbuzz.com/) reported that Matt Slocum has returned to the music world with a new band, Astronaut Pushers. He is joined by bandmates Lindsay Jamieson (of Departure Lounge) and Sam Ashworth (Charlie Peacock's son from the group My Tyger). John Davis (formerly of Superdrag) joined the band in 2005. For more information, visit AstronautPushers.com.
In other Sixpence-related news, Leigh Nash is currently working on a solo project and recently performed with PFR's Joel Hanson.
Discography
- The Original Demos (1993) debut album
- The Fatherless & the Widow (1994)
- I Prediect a Clone (1994) Steve Taylor tribute album
- This Beautiful Mess (1995)
- Tickets for a Prayer Wheel [EP] (1996)
- Sixpence None the Richer (1997)
- Lynne Me Your Ears (2002) Jeff Lynne tribute album
- Making God Smile: A Tribute to Beach Boy Brian Wilson (2002) tribute album
- Divine Discontent (2002)
External links
- www.sixpence-ntr.com (Under Construction as of August, 2004)
- The Vine (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/sixpence-collectors/) (Sixpence Discussion Group)