Sixpence None the Richer

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Sixpence None The Richer
Image:SixpenceNoneTheRicher.jpg
Origin New Braunfels, Texas, USA
Years active 1992-2004
Genres Pop/Rock, Contemporary Christian
Labels Warner Music
R.E.X. Music
Squint Entertainment
Reprise Records
Members Leigh Bingham Nash
Matt Slocum
Sean Kelly
Justin Carry
Jerry Dale McFadden
Dale Baker
Rob Mitchell
Past members Tess Wiley
J.J. Plasencio

Sixpence None the Richer was a pop/rock band with roots in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. They are named after a passage in writer C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

Guitarist/songwriter Matt Slocum met vocalist Leigh Bingham Nash at a church retreat in the early 1990s. They recorded a demo (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 Contemporary Christian record label R.E.X. Music in 1993. The record featured Chris Dodds (of Slocum's other band, Love Coma) on drums. Shortly after the release of the album, Slocum left Love Coma to pursue Sixpence full time. The band added Tess Wiley (guitar) J. J. Plasencio (bass) and Dale Baker (drums) for 1995's "This Beautiful Mess." Both albums were produced by producer Armand John Petri.

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, both Christian and secular. In 1999, "Kiss Me" was released as a single, propelling Sixpence into the national pop spotlight. That year the song was also featured in the PG-13 film "She's All That" as the newly made-over 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 again in a parody of that scene.

In 2000, the band recorded a cover of the band The La's "There She Goes", which became their second hit single. This recording was added to the re-release of Sixpence's self-titled album as a 13th track.

Also in 2000, Sixpence contributed the song "Us" to Today Presents: the Best of Summer Concert Series CD, which raised money for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance.

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 was purchased by Word Records and that album, Divine Discontent, was released in October of 2002. It differed significantly from the first pre-release version of the album that had circulated -- the songs "Us," "Deeper," "Don't Pass Me By," "Too Far Gone," and "Loser Like Me" were cut, and "Down and Out of Time," "A Million Parachutes," "Tonight," "Waiting on the Sun," and "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."

Sixpence recorded a number of covers for compilations and soundtrack albums throughout their career, including: "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (The Beach Boys, from the tribute album Making God Smile: A Tribute to Beach Boy Brian Wilson), "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, Matt Slocum announced via a letter to CCM Magazine that the group had disbanded.

On July 22, 2004, CCMBuzz reported that Matt Slocum had started a new band, the Astronaut Pushers[1], with Lindsay Jamieson (of the band Departure Lounge) and Sam Ashworth (son of influential Contemporary Christian musician Charlie Peacock). John Davis (formerly 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 were operating a recording studio in Nashville in early 2006.

Leigh Nash began work on a solo album titled Blue on Blue with producer Pierre Marchand in the fall of 2005. July 14, 2006, the song "My Idea of Heaven (Radio Edit)" credited to Leigh Nash was released. The album was released by Nettwerk Records under Nash's own imprint, One Son records. The album's official release date was August 15th, 2006.

Leigh Nash released Christmas EP Wishing For This on 14 November.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Charts & RIAA Certifications

Albums

Year Album The Billboard 200
Chart Position		 UK Album Chart Position RIAA
Certification
1999 Sixpence None the Richer 89 27 Platinum
2002 Divine Discontent 154 – –

Singles

Release
Year		 Title Chart positions RIAA
Certification
Billboard Hot 100 Adult Contemporary Adult Top 40 UK Singles Chart
1999 "Kiss Me" 2 2 2 4 Gold
1999 "There She Goes" 32 19 7 14 –
2002 "Breathe Your Name" NA NA NA NA –
2003 "Don't Dream It's Over" 78 12 9 - –

[edit] External links

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