Sixwire

Sixwire
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Genres	Country
Years active	2000-present
Labels	Warner Bros. Nashville
Associated acts	Tim McGraw Phil Vassar
Website	http://www.sixwire.com
Members
Andy Childs Robb Houston John Howard Steve Mandile Chuck Tilley

Sixwire is an American country music group from Nashville, Tennessee. The group is composed of Andy Childs (guitar, piano, lead vocals), Robb Houston (guitar, vocals), John Howard (bass guitar), Steve Mandile (guitar, vocals), and Chuck Tilley (drums, percussion). The band's name references the six strings on a guitar.^[1] Sixwire recorded one album for Warner Bros. Records in 2002, and charted two singles on the Billboard country charts, including the #30 "Look at Me Now". Five years later, they placed second on the talent show The Next Great American Band, and served as the house band on Can You Duet, another talent show.

History

Before the band's formation, Andy Childs recorded for RCA Nashville from 1993 to 1994, releasing a self-titled debut album and charting three singles on the country charts. In addition, Steve Mandile co-wrote singles for Phil Vassar, Tim McGraw, and Shane McAnally, and previously played lead guitar in Pam Tillis' road band, the Mystic Biscuits.^[2] Drummer Chuck Tilley has a jazz background. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in percussion, where he studied with noted jazz educators Steve Sample, Sr and Ray Reach. Following graduation, he worked in Birmingham, Alabama as a member of a jazz group led by Count Basie bassist Cleveland Eaton. Later, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked with Lee Greenwood and Dolly Parton. Childs had initially declined to join the band, but later changed his mind after Brett James also declined.^[3]

Formed in 2000, the band was signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2002.^[1] Its debut single, "Look at Me Now", peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart.^[4] It was included on Sixwire's self-titled debut album, which peaked at 38 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart in 2002.^[5] The album's only other single, "Way Too Deep", peaked at number 55. Also in 2002, Sixwire appeared on the track "It Goes Like This" from then-labelmate John Michael Montgomery's Pictures. Mandile co-produced Nashville Star 2005 winner Erika Jo's self-titled debut album, on which Tilley also performed as a percussionist.^[6]

In 2007, Sixwire auditioned for the Fox Networks reality show The Next Great American Band and finished runner-up.^[7] One year later, Sixwire served as the house band on CMT's talent show Can You Duet.

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US Heat
Sixwire	Release date: July 30, 2002 Label: Warner Bros. Nashville	38	32

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
		US Country
2002	"Look at Me Now"	30	Sixwire
	"Way Too Deep"	55

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2002	"Look at Me Now"	Steven Goldmann

References

1. ^ ^{a b} allmusic ((( Sixwire > Biography )))
2. ^ Davis, Noel (1993-05-19). "Pam Tillis: Highbrow but Down to Earth". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1993-05-19/entertainment/ca-36961_1_pam-tillis. Retrieved 2009-08-27. 
3. ^ Stark, Phyllis (2002-06-13). "Sixwire in the spotlight". Billboard: 15. http://books.google.com/?id=-gsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA15&dq=%22Brett+james%22+arista#v=onepage&q=%22Brett%20james%22%20arista. Retrieved 2009-08-25. 
4. ^ Sixwire
5. ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Sixwire
6. ^ (2005) Album notes for Erika Jo by Erika Jo [CD booklet]. Universal South (4522).
7. ^ "Sixwire - The Next Great American Band?". Peavey.com. 2007-12-17. http://www.peavey.com/news/article.cfm/action/view/id/272/20071712.cfm. Retrieved 2008-07-17. 

External links

• Sixwire official website
• Steve Mandile official website
• Sixwire on Myspace