When I first heard Sixwire, I was blown away by their sound and became a fan instantly. Of course, I must admit that I have been a fan of Andy Childs since '93, when I first heard his voice. However, even if I hadn't been, I'd have still loved this band's sound. Sixwire is unique. They are a group of great singers, songwriters, and musicians with a lot of talent. Listening to their debut CD "Sixwire", this becomes apparent.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sixwire is comprised of five accomplished and respected professional musicians, composers, singers, and producers who have worked with each other and various artists over the years. They are friends as well as bandmates.

The name "Sixwire" denotes the guitar. And Sixwire has three guitarist-singers fronting the band; Andy Childs, Steve Mandile, and Robb Houston. The rhythm section of John Howard on bass and Chuck Tilley on drums anchors the band with style.

Sixwire is a high-energy, harmony and guitar powerhouse, with a unique sound that is fresh and unmistakably their own.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sixwire's self-titled debut CD was released by  Warner Bros.  on August 27, 2002 and has been well received.

Sixwire is currently working on their second CD.

For more information, check out the official  Sixwire  web site.

Also check the  Sixwire Group Site  at Yahoo Groups.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sixwire is also blessed with some awesome fans who enjoy sharing with others. I've been fortunate enough to have received some great concert photos from Virginia Singleton and JoBeth Hudgens of Sixwire at the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 23, 2002.

Check out  Sixwire Mid-South Fair Photos  to view Virginia's and JoBeth's photos.

Mickey Scarborough has also graciously provided some wonderful concert photos of Sixwire in Raleigh, North Carolina, on October 26, 2002.

Check out  Sixwire Raleigh Photos  to view Mickey's photos.

Also check out  Sixwire AIM Buddy Icons  for those using AIM and wishing to have a selection of Buddy Icons featuring the members of Sixwire.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Andy Childs  is from Memphis, TN, and is an accomplished singer, guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter. Andy began performing in his teens and has toured with various artists. He's also had solo recording contracts with both independent and major labels, as well as being a staff writer. Andy sings the lead vocals for Sixwire and his voice is amazing. The texture is silky smooth, with a smokey timbre. It's kind of hard to describe, but it's definitely memorable.

Andy Childs - Sacramento, CA - Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rich -

Steve Mandile is from San Angelo, TX, and is also an accomplished guitarist, singer, producer, and songwriter. Steve was named SESAC Songwriter of the Year in 1999 and has had many songs cut by other artists. Steve's written or co-written all 11 songs on the "Sixwire" CD, which is also his first solo production for a major label. Steve's a superb lead guitarist as well, with many tours and studio sessions to his credit; including with Lee Greenwood, where he met and became friends with Sixwire bandmates John Howard and Chuck Tilley. Steve sings the lower harmony parts too.

Steve Mandile - Sacramento - Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rich -

Robb Houston  is from Houston, TX, and is also an accomplished guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Robb has been playing in bands since his teens, was a writer for MTM Music Group, and had a recording contract with Carlisle Records, an independent label. Robb also toured with Brother Phelps and Randy Travis before joining Sixwire. Robb sings a unique brand of high harmony that adds a lot to Sixwire's sound.

Robb Houston - Sacramento - Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rich -

John Howard is from Plainview, TX and is an accomplished bassist and songwriter. John toured with Lee Greenwood, where he met and became friends with Sixwire bandmates Steve Mandile and Chuck Tilley. He's toured and recorded with various artists too, including Randy Travis and Faith Hill. John has also spent a lot of time in the studio when not on tour, playing on recording sessions for many publishing companies and songwriters in Nashville.

John Howard - Fan Fair - Photo by Mickey Scarborough -

Chuck Tilley is from Tuscaloosa, AL, and is not only an accomplished drummer, percussionist, and songwriter, but also plays guitar, bass, and keyboards. Chuck toured with Lee Greenwood, where he met and became friends with Sixwire bandmates Steve Mandile and John Howard. He's also toured and recorded with a diverse group of artists. Chuck is also in demand as a session drummer in Nashville, with credits ranging from demos to movie soundtracks, including artist's recordings, jingles, and TV Themes.

Chuck Tilley - Sacramento - Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rich -

---

"Sixwire"

Congratulations, Sixwire! You guys have definitely got a winner in this CD!

"Sixwire" is the self-titled debut CD for this talented group of musicians and singers. I purchased the CD during the week it was released and I was quite impressed. This is a great album!

I love the fact that Sixwire has written, performed, and produced their own album. Steve Mandile did an excellent job on his first production for a major label. The sound is very fresh and different from the usual country releases, since it's not all the same studio musicians as one normally hears.

The band members have written or co-written every song on the CD as well. Steve Mandile had a hand in writing all 11 songs and Andy Childs wrote on 6, including "Brave Soul" which was a collaboration by the whole band. It's a very impressive group of songs, with hit potential.

The sound is quite impressive, with Andy Child's distinctive voice on lead vocals. Harmonies by Steve Mandile and Robb Houston are not just backing vocals, but up front in the mix, so that each singer is heard. I love tight harmonies... and these are extra special. The guitar work is impressive and John Howard on bass and Chuck Tilley on drums are right in the pocket.

The arrangements and musicianship are wonderful! The upbeat songs are very aggressive and there's a lot of energy. You can almost feel how much fun Sixwire was having doing the album. If you listen closely, you can hear all of the little things that make these mixes so memorable.

Picking a single favorite would be impossible, but one of mine is "Saving Grace". I think it's the minor key and the emotional impact of the lyrics and Andy's delivery on lead vocals. Robb's and Steve's tight harmonies are icing on the cake. And the music is a perfect complementary blend of guitar, steel, bass, percussion, etc. This song gives me goosebumps. Awesome!

Another favorite is "I Heard That". The concept kind of caught me off guard the first time I heard it, and the surprise lasts as the song progresses. It's very upbeat, catchy, and a real winner, in my opinion.

Other favorites include: "Way Too Deep", "Look At Me Now", "Say It Simple", "Brave Soul", and "Jack". "Jack" is another one that is a surprise. And "Brave Soul" is almost an epic.

Another plus to "Sixwire" is that it's an enhanced CD. The addition of video in the studio, including the song "Brave Soul", and commentary by the band members, which can be played on your computer, is pretty cool. There's also wallpaper you can download to your desktop and links to Sixwire related web sites.

Do yourself a favor and buy this CD. You'll be glad you did. :-)

You can click on the CD on the right to go to Amazon.com's site for "Sixwire". Sound files are available for the first 5 songs and there are customer reviews and comments. It's currently rated at 5 stars, the highest possible ranking. It is no longer available at a discounted price.

Don't forget to check out the official  Sixwire  web site. There you'll find the lastest news, bios, photos, tour information, music, lyrics, merchandise, videos, and lots of interesting posts on the "Wired" message board.

You can also join the  Sixwire Group  at Yahoo Groups. There are photos, links, messages, chat, and more. A fan chat is usually held on the group site each Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. eastern, 7:00 p.m. central, and 5:00 p.m. pacific time.

---

Mickey with Robb, John, Andy, Steve, and Chuck

- Photo courtesy of Mickey Scarborough -

I owe a big thanks to Mickey and Stephanie for allowing permission to use their wonderful photos on this site. Thanks so much, ladies!

Sixwire has definitely got some devoted, generous, and friendly fans!

---

For those of you who enjoy horn rock music with R&B, soul, and jazz influences:

A link to the web site of my favorite band in that genre:

The Official Sons of Champlin Web Site

A link to my music, philosophy, and fan tribute site for The Sons of Champlin:

Fair To Partly Cloudy Music

---