Charisma Madarang
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Justin Cary (right) with Sixpence None the Richer's Matt Slocum and Leigh Nash (center) Cindy Ord/Getty Images Justin Cary, the bassist for Sixpence None the Richer, died Thursday, days after suffering a stroke. He was 50.
The band’s frontwoman Leigh Nash confirmed Cary’s death Thursday, writing on social media, “‘We sure had a great time’ is an understatement. Thank you, Justin. We love you forever. Please keep his dear [wife] Linda close to your hearts. She is our family. There’s never been anybody like Justin.”
Nash added in a heartfelt tribute shared to Instagram Stories. “Justin Cary was kind, talented, and one of the funniest people I’ve ever met,” wrote Nash. “Whenever he had a story, I would stop to listen. I had to be sure to catch the end of ‘Kiss Me’ every night because he did this funky bass lick that tickled my brain so good. One time I broke the sink in my hotel room in Chile and he had to come help me at 1 am. I feel incredibly lucky to have known him and to have learned the touring ropes from someone so extraordinary. I was looking forward to being his friend for a long time.”
Cary had been with Sixpence None the Richer since 1997 after replacing the band’s former bassist, J.J. Plasencio. Cary joined the group before they released their self-titled album featuring their smash single, “Kiss Me,” which reached Number Two on the Billboard Hot 100.
The band’s cover of the La’s “There She Goes” was also a Hot 100 hit in 1999. Cary remained a member of the band until his death Thursday.
