SIXPENCE SCORES "UNDERDOG" HIT WITH 3rd ALBUM

GRAMMY NOMINATED ALBUM DEBUTS ON THE BILLBOARD 200 SALES CHART

SINGLE JUMPS #71 TO #14 ON BILLBOARD HOT 100 IN LESS THAN A MONTH

MULTI-FORMAT HIT CRACKS TOP 10 ON FIVE CHARTS

HIGHEST DEBUT ON CASEY KASEM'S AMERICAN TOP 40

"Kiss Me" VIDEO ENTERS VH1'S TOP 10

LOS ANGELES, CA--March 9, 1999--After relying on a small but devoted fanbase for the last several years, the once obscure modern rock band, Sixpence None the Richer, is on the verge of becoming a house-hold name. As their Grammy nominated self-titled album climbs The Billboard 200 sales chart, and the smash hit "Kiss Me" penetrates the Top 10 on five different charts, Sixpence is cherishing every moment of hard-won acceptance.

"It's all about timing," explains Leigh Nash, Sixpence's endearing vocalist. "I think it's 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."

"Kiss Me" is the lead single from the band's self-titled Squint Entertainment album. As the featured song from the Miramax motion picture, SHE'S ALL THAT, "Kiss Me" is receiving mass exposure from this year's #1 box office comedy. With no soundtrack for the movie available, Sixpence's album and single have benefited at retail. SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER debuted on The Billboard 200 sales chart on March 6 at #188. The album jumps to #169 in the trade publication's March 13 issue.

In an astounding series of jumps, "Kiss Me" has surged from #71 to #14 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart in less than one month. The song, which continues to climb every chart it's on, has now cracked the Top 10 on five different airplay charts. "Kiss Me" is currently #8 at Billboard's Adult Top 40 and #6 at Billboard Monitor's Modern AC. The latest issue of R&R has "Kiss Me" moving up the CHR/Pop chart to #15, while the single climbs to #5 on the Pop Alternative chart and #7 at Hot AC. At Network 40's Adult Top 40 chart, the song is now #7. Meanwhile, this past weekend Sixpence None the Richer was profiled by Casey Kasem as this week's highest debut (#29) on his American Top 40 program.

On the television front, today (Tuesday, March 9) VH1's Women First program will welcome Sixpence's Nash as their celebrity host. The 30 minute show airs at 10 AM (Eastern) and then again at 4 PM. VH1, which launched the "Kiss Me" video as part of their Inside Track series, announced Sixpence's entry in their Top 10 on February 26. The clip, which debuted at #9, moved up to #8 last week. Meanwhile, MTV has the video in rotation on 120 Minutes, while M2, JBTV, and The Box have "Kiss Me" in increasing rotation.

Sixpence, who is coming off Friday's performance and interview on Live With Regis & Kathie Lee, is slated to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday, March 19. The band has also enjoyed recent national television appearances on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and Donny & Marie. In addition, the "Kiss Me" single has been featured on Dawson's Creek, The Young and The Restless, NBC's Movie of the Week, Vanished Without a Trace and will soon be heard on Party of Five.

After forming in Austin, Texas eight years ago, Sixpence eventually debuted in 1994 with the independently distributed, THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW. Within the following year the band landed mini-tours with both 10,000 Maniacs and The Smithereens. Five tour-driven years, and two albums later, Sixpence now has many industry insiders crowning them, "This Year's Cinderella Story." When Sixpence's assault on various radio charts became undeniable, R&R's Alternative Editor, Jim Kerr, responded, "In this day and age of radio and record consolidation, it's hard enough for a major corporation to break a brand new band, let alone an independent label."

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