Sixpence None the Richer
Sixpence None the Richer is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braufels, Texas and are currently settled in Nashville, Tennessee. They are known for their mainstream hit "Kiss Me" and their covers of "There She Goes" and "Don't Dream It's Over." The band's name was inspired by a passage from C. S. Lewis's book Mere Christianity discussing how children buying gifts for their parents with the parents' money means the parents are "none the richer" monetarily even though there is value in the act (mirroring the Christian God/human dynamic).
Guitarist and songwriter Matt Slocum met Leigh Bingham (later Nash) in the early 1990s and recorded a demo, circulated as "The Original Demos," with bassist T.J. Behling at Verge Music Works recording studio in Dallas, Texas and eventually an album, The Fatherless and the Widow, for the independent label R.E.X. Music in 1993. After adding more members, the band toured in support of The Fatherless and the Widow. The band released This Beautiful Mess in 1995. In May 1996, Bingham married drummer Mark Nash of PFR.
In 1997, Sixpence signed with Steve Taylor's Squint Entertainment label and released their self-titled third studio album Sixpence None the Richer. The album started garnering mainstream attention with the song "Kiss Me." The single was released to mainstream radio stations in November 1998 and climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1999 propelling the band into the national spotlight. In September 1999, they released "There She Goes," a cover of an early 1990 song originally recorded by the English rock band The La's. Sixpence made television appearances on morning talk shows, late night talk shows like The Tonight Show and MTV.
While their songs "Kiss Me" and "There She Goes" were getting MTV and radio airplay and as to not alienate their Christian audience, Sixpence contributed songs on various artists projects and got some Christian airplay as well, such as "Brighten My Heart" from Exodus, "Breathe" from Streams and "The Ground You Shook" from Roaring Lambs.
In 2000, Sixpence was recording their follow-up album and were getting ready to release it, but then Taylor who owned Squint was forced out of the company leadership. Word Records resurrected the label after Taylor's departure, to create a new, unrelated label as an avenue for potential crossover acts under their newfound partnership with AOL Time Warner at the time. The only common element was the existence of Sixpence on the label's roster, due to their existing contract. After a two-year wait, Sixpence finally released Divine Discontent which was released by the already-folded Squint label and on Reprise/Warner Records. The songs "Breathe Your Name" and a cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" were the only singles released to both Christian and mainstream radio. Sixpence temporarily disbanded in 2004. Leigh Nash released her first solo album Blue on Blue in 2006. A year later, she divorced Mark Nash after a decade of marriage. Later on, Sixpence reunited.
In 2008, Sixpence released the EP My Dear Machine on the website NoiseTrade. Later in October 2008, they released a Christmas album The Dawn of Grace on the Nettwerk label. Sixpence signed with Credential Recordings in 2009 and worked on a new album in 2010. Leigh later married country rock musician and songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. in 2011. Sixpence released Lost in Transition in 2012, their first new music since Divine Discontent. After that release, Sixpence disbanded again and Nash recorded more solo albums throughout the 2010s.
Sixpence re-grouped once again in 2022 and contributed the Randy Stonehill track "King of Hearts" for Stonehill's tribute album There's a Rainbow Somewhere. In 2023, Nash released a single, "The Tide," that additionally added Sixpence None the Richer, making it their first new music since the release of Lost in Transition.
She and Slocum also announced a new tour with 10,000 Maniacs, playing songs by both bands, but in January 2024, Nash and Slocum left the tour early, saying they "had other commitments arise."
In January 2024, it was announced that drummer Dale Baker was returning to the band and that they had signed a management deal with Deep South Entertainment with plans to re-release their self-titled album on vinyl. In June, they announced a 25th-anniversary tour with the classic lineup for the first time since Baker left. In August 2024, they announced a new single, "We Are Love," and a new EP, Rosemary Hill, was released on October 4, 2024. While the band has made no official announcement of lineup changes, Baker has not played with the band since the anniversary tour. Jon Radford has played live with the band since 2025.
Bassist Justin Cary died on June 18, 2026, at the age of 50, following a stroke.
More information on Sixpence None the Richer at Wikipedia:
Discography
The Orginal Demos (EP) (1992)
The Fatherless and the Widow (1993)
This Beautiful Mess (1995)
Tickets for a Prayer Wheel (EP) (1995)
Sixpence None the Richer (1997)
Collage: A Portrait of Their Best (1998) (compilation album)
Divine Discontent (2002)
The Best of Sixpence None the Richer (2004) (compilation album)
My Dear Machine (EP) (2008)
The Dawn of Grace (2008) (Christmas album)
Lost in Transition (2012)
The Ultimate Collection (2015) (Word Records compilation album)
Rosemary Hill (EP) (2024)
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