Texas are a Scottish alternative rock band from Bearsden near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone (formerly of the bands Altered Images and Hipsway) in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee. They took their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas. The band released their debut album Southside in 1989, along with the debut single "I Don't Want a Lover" which was a worldwide success, charting at number eight on the UK Singles Charts and other high charting positions in Europe. Southside debuted at number three in the United Kingdom and eighty-eight on the US Billboard 200 album charts. Despite the success of Southside, follow up albums Mothers Heaven and Ricks Road were less successful in the UK, only charting inside the top forty album charts.
Texas' White on Blonde (1997) album was one of the best selling albums when released in 1996. To date, it has been certified six-fold platinum in the UK, making it the band's best selling UK album. Their only other album to reach a six-fold platinum certification was 2000's The Greatest Hits. Follow up, The Hush was also successful, debuting at number one on the UK album charts and being certified triple platinum. Texas would go on to release a further two studio albums, Careful What You Wish For in 2003, and Red Book in 2005, both of which were certified gold in the UK. After the release of Red Book and a tour to support the album's release, Texas entered a self imposed hiatus. Lead singer, Sharleen Spiteri launched a successful solo career, releasing her debut solo album, Melody in 2008.
Since their formation in 1986, in 2003 it was confirmed that Texas had sold 20 million copies of their five studio albums released since 1986 until the release of their fifth album, Careful What You Wish For in 2003.
