Plain White T's
Pop-punk lifers best known for an acoustic song that ate the world for a summer — 'Hey There Delilah' and sturdier rock behind it.
Plain White T's started in Lombard, Illinois, in 1997, formed by high school friends Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio and Ken Fletcher and soon joined by Steve Mast. In their early years they mostly played basements, clubs and bars around Chicago before building a following at bigger local rooms.
A 1999 car crash left Higgenson with broken vertebrae and months in a back brace; the experience changed how he wrote, pushing him toward more personal songs. The band recorded Come On Over in 2000 and self-financed Stop in 2002, which caught Fearless Records' attention. Fletcher and Mast left in 2003, replaced by Tim Lopez and Mike Retondo, while Tirio switched to rhythm guitar and De'Mar Hamilton joined on drums.
Their music combines punk-derived guitar pop with acoustic-based songwriting and straightforward, melodic choruses.
The reformed lineup's 2005 album All That We Needed introduced "Hey There Delilah", written for track athlete Delilah DiCrescenzo; a string-laden version on 2006's Every Second Counts, released through Hollywood Records, hit number one and picked up two Grammy nominations. Big Bad World followed in 2008 with the platinum-certified singles "1, 2, 3, 4" and "Natural Disaster".
Tirio left in 2020, leaving Higgenson as the band's sole original member, and the group has kept touring and recording since.
Plain White T's at a glance
Where is Plain White T's from?
Plain White T's is from Chicago, IL.
What kind of music does Plain White T's play?
Plain White T's is tagged pop-punk and pop-rock.
What festivals has Plain White T's played before?
Plain White T's has played Bourbon & Beyond 2026, Welcome to Rockville 2026.
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