Named in honor of a passage from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, the Texas-based CCM band Sixpence None the Richer began taking shape in the early '90s, when guitarist Matt Slocum first met vocalist Leigh Nash (nee Bingham) at a church retreat. Initially a trio rounded out by bassist T.J. Behling, the group recorded a demo before signing with R.E.X. Records, a label that previously specialized in Christian metal. Their debut LP, The Fatherless & the Widow, appeared in 1993. With the addition of rhythm guitarist Tess Wiley, new bassist J.J. Plasencio, and drummer Dale Baker, Sixpence None the Richer toured before returning to the studio to record their sophomore effort, 1995's This Beautiful Mess.