Plain White T's Biography

Plain White T's formed in Chicago in 1997 and began by playing gigs around the local club scene, but it was a 1999 car accident that changed the band forever. Lead singer/songwriter Tom Higgenson, who was nearly killed in the wreck, gained a new outlook on life and the experience jump started the songwriting process for him, thus taking the group's music to a whole new level.The band released Come on Over in 2001 under their own steam and put out Stop in 2002 on the label Fearless. After a difficult time coping with several lineup changes and a busy touring schedule, Plain White T's released their third album, All That We Needed, in 2005. The album distanced the group from its punk-laden predecessors a bit and touched more on power-pop, landing the record at 26 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers and 31 on the Top Indie Albums chart. But it was an acoustic ballad that would really put the band on the map. When multiple versions of the All That We Needed track "Hey There Delilah" were re-released on an enhanced EP accompanied by four new songs, the T's experienced their first true hit. "Hey There Delilah" gained a fair amount of popularity with teenagers across the U.S. with its romantic subject matter and sweet melody.After signing with Hollywood, the group followed up their enhanced EP with their major label debut, 2006's Every Second Counts, before hitting the Nintendo Fusion tour with groups like Hawthorne Heights and The Sleeping. Every Second Counts was praised for supplying catchy hook after catchy hook and the same mainstream appeal that their previous records had that was never quite capitalized on. The acoustic-driven "Write You a Song" followed the mold of "Hey There Delilah," while other tracks fed off the band's punk-pop roots.Despite being the band's biggest single, "Hey There Delilah" does not reflect the bulk of Plain White T's songs. The quiet ballad was a few-minute departure from the energetic, upbeat style the group usually employs. The group marches on with aspirations to take further steps as musicians, but they're also just enjoying the ride that nearly didn't happen.