Justin Cary, bassist for the Texas alt-pop band Sixpence None the Richer, has died. He suffered a stroke last week. Earlier this week, bandmate Leigh Nash shared the news on Instagram and posted a link to a GoFundMe campaign to support Cary and his wife, Linda. In a follow-up message, Linda announced that Cary had passed away peacefully that morning. He was 50.
Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum founded Sixpence None the Richer in the early 1990s as a Christian rock duo, releasing two independent albums—1994’s The Fatherless and the Widow and 1995’s This Beautiful Mess—before Cary joined the group. Cary replaced original bassist JJ Plasencio shortly before the release of Sixpence None the Richer’s self-titled 1997 album.
“Kiss Me,” a dreamy standout from that LP, gained momentum after appearing on the soundtrack to the 1999 film She’s All That. The track climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a lasting pop standard. It has remained widely performed, with covers by artists ranging from Sabrina Carpenter to the defunct dream-pop band Wildhoney, securing its status as an enduring romantic favorite.
The band’s self-titled album was certified platinum on the strength of “Kiss Me,” and Sixpence None the Richer notched additional modest hits, including covers of the La’s’ “There She Goes” and Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Their follow-up album, Divine Discontent, became mired in label disputes and was not released until 2002, and the group disbanded two years later. Cary did not take part in later reunited lineups that released additional records, but he returned when the classic formation regrouped to tour and release the 2024 EP Rosemary Hill.
