Jars of Clay & Sixpence None The Richer Christmas Tour

Grammy and Dove awardwinning band JARS OF CLAY are excited to announce LOVE CAME DOWN: A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT. Jars of Clay will be joined by the recently reunited SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER, along with Sara Groves and Leeland, as they embark on a 13city tour filled with holiday songs and stories in celebration of the Christmas season.

Last year, Jars of Clay gave their fans a Christmas gift. CHRISTMAS SONGS was the first holiday release from the band in their 12year career. The band brought new light to memorable Christmas songs such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "In the Bleak Midwinter," and broke new ground with their own original holiday songs such as "Winter Skin" and "Evergreen." When they decided to go out on tour this season, they asked their friends Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum of Sixpence None The Richer to come along.

Grammynominated band Sixpence None The Richer was in a similar position as Jars of Clay. Their loyal fans had been asking for a Christmas record for years, and they thought there was no better way to celebrate their reunion then with a special album for their fans. THE DAWN OF GRACE will be released on October 14 and is made up of 10 tracks: eight traditional Christmas songs, including "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Silent Night," featuring guest vocalist Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay, and two original Sixpence holiday tunes called "The Last Christmas" and "Christmas for Two."

Both bands are also in the process of recording new material to be released in 2009. Jars of Clay have been in and out of the studio with producer Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies) to put the final touches on their upcoming album, due out in early 2009. They have already released the CLOSER EP on all major digital service providers in anticipation of the upcoming fulllength; the fivesong EP contains two brand new tracks ("Closer" and "Safe To Land"), as well as new versions of fan favorites including "Flood" and "Love Song For A Savior." They are currently in the midst of the "Music Builds" tour, which benefit local affiliates of Habitat For Humanity.

Sixpence None The Richer will hit the studio after the holidays to begin working on their first fulllength original record in over four years to be released in the summer of 2009.

Catch LOVE CAME DOWN: A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT on the following dates:

Dec 4 Montgomery, AL @ Montgomery Performing Arts Center
Dec 5 Longwood, FL @ Northland Church
Dec 6 Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Dec 7 Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Echerd Hall
Dec 13 Grand Rapids, MI @ Sunshine Church
Dec 14 Merrillville, IN @ Star Plaza Theatre
Dec 17 Glenside, PA @Keswick Theatre
Dec 18 Plymouth, MA @ Memorial Hall
Dec 19 Lewiston, ME @ Androscoggin Bank Coliseum
Dec 20 Long Island City, NY @ Evangel Church
Dec 21 Harrisburg, PA @ Whitaker Center for the Science and Arts

Sixpence None the Richer news

Four years since they parted ways, platinum-selling group SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER have decided to reunite and will make their first appearance in four years together at SXSW (Thursday, March 14 @ The Tap Room).

"Leigh [Nash] and I had been making music together since we were teenagers. As we approached our 30s, there was a bit of restlessness to explore other things," explains Matt Slocum. "In the midst of this exploration, I felt a void open up, like I needed to be making music with Leigh."

Adds Leigh, "While we were apart, we both spent a lot of time thinking about the band and what we had taken for granted. One day a few months ago over coffee, we just knew it was time to breathe life back into the gift that God gave us. I am so thankful and excited for the future."

Most noted for the Grammy-nominated ballad "Kiss Me," Sixpence has since become a household name. After the success of "Kiss Me" (landing on the soundtrack to Miramax Films' "She's All That" and played at the televised wedding of England's Prince Edward in 1999) the band followed up with a cover of The La's "There She Goes," propelling them into the limelight again. Sixpence has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the gems of morning talk shows, as well as had their music hit #1 status in 11 countries.

Sixpence is currently working on an EP that will be available this spring, followed by a full-length Christmas album due out later this year.

Sixpence None the Richer reuniting!

According to Leigh Nash's MySpace blog, Sixpence None the Richer is reuniting for an EP and tour!

Says Leigh:

...While he [Matt Slocum] was away we had both been thinking about the band and what we had all those years and what we took for granted. We were missing each other and the gift that I believe God gave us- I knew before that the two of us were more powerful than one of us alone, but it was becoming more obvious as time ticked by. We realized we were on the same page and decided to make Sixpence None the Richer records for the next 2,000 to 3,000 years!!!! Seriously- as long as we can: ) We are in the middle of making an EP right now that will be available soon! We also have a tour planned beginning in April. Yay!!! These things started happening almost immediately after we decided to start up the engines again. Amazing! I am so thankful and excited for the future. There is a Sixpence myspace page in the works and many details to come about the tour, EP etc very soon...

Read our interview with Leigh here.