Get to Know Sixwire: The Band That Played at the 2024 RNC

Sixwire performed in front of one of the largest audiences of their career this week during the Republican National Convention (RNC) 2024. The band unexpectedly played a longer set when a teleprompter malfunction occurred while House Speaker Mike Johnson was delivering his speech. The unforeseen hiccup caused Johnson to leave the stage without finishing his remarks, giving Sixwire the opportunity to entertain the crowd with a 45-minute show featuring classic rock covers.

So, who exactly is Sixwire, the band that captivated the RNC audience?

Sixwire performed at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The band consists of:

• Andy Childs – lead vocals and guitar
• Steve Hornbeak – keyboards and vocals
• John Howard – bass
• Steve Mandile – guitar and vocals
• Chuck Tilley – drums

Based in Nashville, Sixwire formed in 2000 and is seen as a local “supergroup” due to its members’ impressive careers both as solo artists and collaborators with well-known musicians. Andy Childs, for instance, was a solo contemporary Christian and country artist in the ’90s, signed to RCA Nashville. Meanwhile, Steve Mandile, the band’s musical mastermind, has written songs for high-profile artists, including Tim McGraw.

Mandile has expressed that he wanted Childs to be the lead singer, telling Billboard, “I just don’t feel like I have the ability to be a really good frontman. Between songs, I didn’t have anything to say.”

Drummer Chuck Tilley has worked with iconic musicians such as Dolly Parton and Lee Greenwood. The band’s members have also been involved with acts like Faith Hill, Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Olivia Newton-John, Phil Vassar, Alabama, Richard Marx, Alice Cooper, and the late Toby Keith.

Former member Robb Houston, who was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and passed away in 2020, left the band in 2016 to focus on his health.

Sixwire’s collective talents are notable. The band was signed to Warner Nashville in 2002. Their debut single, “Look at Me Now,” reached No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, while “Way Too Deep” peaked at No. 55. Their first album peaked at No. 38 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart. The band has toured with renowned artists including Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, and Kenny Chesney.

Sixwire is no stranger to events and television. They have been the house band for ESPN’s NFL Draft, CMT’s “Can You Duet” and “CMT’s Next Superstar.” Additionally, they have performed as musical guests for NBC’s USA Figure Skating Championship, pre-game entertainers for Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles and Super Bowl 57 in Glendale, Arizona. They have also entertained during Fox’s “All-American New Year’s Eve” and the Daytona 500. Furthermore, they served as the backing band for Connie Britton’s character Rayna James in the TV series “Nashville” and participated in USA’s “Next Great American Band,” finishing in second place.

Besides their mainstream success, Sixwire often performs at charity events, having raised millions of dollars for causes such as St. Jude.

During the RNC 2024, Sixwire’s extended set featured an assortment of classic rock and pop covers, much to the delight of the audience. Some of the songs they performed included:

• 38 Special, “Caught Up In You”
• Cheap Trick, “I Want You to Want Me”
• Tom Cochrane, “Life Is a Highway”
• The Eagles, “Hotel California”
• Foo Fighters, “Learn to Fly”
• Grand Funk Railroad, “We’re an American Band”
• Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin'”
• John Mellencamp, “R.O.C.K. In The USA”
• Smash Mouth, “All Star”

They also played music from Steely Dan, Collective Soul, and The Doobie Brothers, among others.

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