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Sixpence
None the Richer :
Widely
hailed as the artist development story of 1998, Sixpence's
climb to stardom is becoming the breakthrough
story of 1999. What began seven years ago as the brainchild
of two teenagers from Texas is now an international triumph.After
relying on a small but devoted fanbase for the last several
years, this once obscure rock band is on the verge of becoming
a household name. With their Grammy nominated self-titled
album now certified GOLD, and the #1 smash hit "Kiss
Me" (along with their second hit "There She Goes")
leading the way at several formats in the U.S., Canada and
the U.K., Sixpence is cherishing every moment of hard-won
acceptance. "It's all about timing," explains 23-year-old
Leigh Nash, Sixpence's endearing vocalist. "I think it
was the right song, with the right band, and the right record
label-at the right time." With a reflective pause she
adds, "After seven years of lessons learned, I'm still
just very thankful for the opportunity to make music, and
I'm trying to take it in stride." The formation of Sixpence
was set in motion in 1989 when a 16-year-old Matt Slocum heard
13-year-old Leigh sing in a small town just south of Austin,
TX. After signing with a small independent label three years
later, they debuted in 1993 with THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW,
an impressive introduction which landed a Billboard Critic's
Choice as one of the Ten Best Albums of the Year.
Sixpence began
to evolve into a dedicated touring act, and even laid tracks
across the United Kingdom their freshman year. Early '95 found
the increasingly seasoned group releasing their sophomore
effort, THIS BEAUTIFUL MESS, and venturing further into the
live circuit. The band relocated to Nashville in 1996, but
not before they had logged countless miles on the road, and
shared the stage with a wide range of artists including The
Proclaimers, 10,000 Maniacs and The Smithereens. Upon their
arrival in Music City, Sixpence was greeted with two years
of sweating out contract hassles, the demise of their original
record label and a near breakup. As a result, the members
grew more disciplined in taking a grass-roots approach to
promoting their music. "We started developing this attitude
that we'll do whatever it takes to make this work," recalls
Matt. The mood of Sixpence's next album would be directly
influenced by the turmoil the band experienced after transplanting
in Nashville. Turning to a trusted friend, they found an innovative
ally in producer Steve Taylor. This union proved to be the
catalyst from which Squint Entertainment would soon be launched.
SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER is the self-titled, flagship release
for the new record label / film company. Entering the studio
with Taylor, Sixpence began to creatively build upon their
guitar, bass and drum foundation. Immediate critical response
to SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER earned the band a spot on last
summer's Lilith Fair stop in Nashville. The group spent the
next several months on the road playing clubs and visiting
radio stations to build support of the "Kiss Me"
single. November of '98 marked a pivotal endorsement when
VH1 invited Sixpence to debut nationally on their new series,
THE MIDNIGHT MINUTE. The band performed special acoustic versions
of "Kiss Me" and "The Lines of My Earth."
"Everybody at VH1 was really knocked out by them when
they came in to perform," recalls executive producer,
Bill Flanagan.
"Sixpence
is so advanced musically and at the same time offers a youthful
optimism. It's wonderful to encounter a band who has the best
of both worlds." With the increased profile came increased
sales and additional radio airplay, enabling "Kiss Me"
to crack Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. A few weeks later
VH1 added the original "Kiss Me" video to their
rotation, and MTV began airing the clip on 120 MINUTES. The
stage was set and immediately Miramax Films chose "Kiss
Me" as the featured song for their upcoming motion picture
SHE'S ALL THAT. The film hit theaters on January 29 and opened
#1 at the box office. With television programs like DAWSON'S
CREEK, DARIA and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS also electing
to spotlight "Kiss Me," the exposure was tremendous.
In a matter of weeks both VH1 and MTV had Miramax's new "Kiss
Me" video in heavy rotation, and the song was soaring
up numerous charts. Sixpence made guest appearances on LATE
NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO and
LIVE WITH REGIS & KATHIE LEE. As the month of April came
to a close, "Kiss Me" was certified GOLD and penetrated
the Top 5 of ten different major charts. On May 16 Casey Kasem
announced "Kiss Me" as the #1 song in the country
to his AMERICAN TOP 40 audience. Sixpence, who continues touring,
received an invitation to join the entire West Coast leg of
Lilith Fair '99. "When we recorded our album, I think
we were all at a point in our lives where we ready to give
up our dreams," Matt concludes, reflecting on the past
two years. "I know I was. So, hope was the message-don't
ever give up hope for yourself. And this has all been really
great, because the record was made, supported and then nominated
for a Grammy. It's good to see how far it's come."
 _.:Sixpence
None the Richer Official Site
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