The Fatherless and the Widow (1993)

The Fatherless and the Widow is the debut studio album by the Christian alternative rock band Sixpence None the Richer. It was their first album released on the independent label R.E.X. Music in the fall of 1993. The album was produced by Armand John Petri and was recorded at The Sonic Temple in Elgin, Illinois. The reprise of the track "Trust" was recorded at Select Sound in Buffalo, New York.

The Fatherless and the Widow was primarily written by guitarist and musician Matt Slocum and it introduces the band's signature atmospheric indie-pop and introspective songwriting, fronted by the distinctive vocals of Leigh Bingham. Three demo songs ("Spotlight," the title song and "Trust") were re-recorded for this release, in which the band originally released a four-song demo cassette in 1992 under the creative title The Original Demos.

The album was first issued under R.E.X.'s subsidiary label R.E.X. populi in 1993, then was reissued in 1995 by R.E.X. Music in 1995 with distribution by RED Distribution and then in 1999 with distribution by Light Distribution. In 2026, The Fatherless and the Widow was made available in vinyl by MNRK Music Group in two variation colors: Silver and Orange Crush.

Track listing

All songs written by Matt Slocum, except where noted.

1. Field of Flowers -2:38

2. Spotlight (T.J. Behling) -3:52

3. The Fatherless and the Widow -4:45

4. Musings -4:35

5. Trust -3:26

6. Falling Leaves -3:32

7. Meaningless -5:09

8. Soul -3:51

9. An Apology -4:41

10. Trust (reprise) -4:03

Personnel

Sixpence None the Richer:

Leigh Bingham -vocals

Matt Slocum -backing vocals on track 2, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards

additional musicians:

Chris Dodds -drums

Armand John Petri -percussion

Joseph Rozier -piano and string arrangements on track 10

The Native Soil Cello Trio on track 10:

Bryan Eckenrode, Alfred B. Frenning and Robbie Hausman

Previous release: The Orginal Demos (EP) (1992) 

Next release: This Beautiful Mess (1995)