Everything But The Girl, also known as EBTG, was established in 1982 by Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt. The duo gained recognition with their debut single, a striking cover of Cole Porter’s Night and Day, distinguished for Thorn’s distinctive voice and Watt’s innovative arrangements. Throughout the 1980s, they produced a series of acclaimed albums in the UK, exploring diverse genres including jazz, guitar pop, orchestral arrangements, and drum-machine soul.
In 1990, EBTG made a breakthrough in the US music scene with their radio hit, Driving. However, their musical journey faced a setback in 1992 when Ben Watt was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease during their world tour. Watt’s near-fatal experience is chronicled in his memoir, Patient. The duo later made a triumphant return with the folktronica sound of Amplified Heart in 1994, highlighted by the massive success of their hit single, Missing, following a remix by Todd Terry.
Their subsequent album, Walking Wounded released in 1996, peaked at #4 on the UK Album Chart and showcased the evolving electronic music trends of the mid-90s. With four Top 40 hits in the UK, it marked EBTG’s first platinum-selling album. Following their successful music career, Tracey Thorn pursued solo projects and literary works while Ben Watt ventured into DJing, remixing, and establishing the electronic label, Buzzin’ Fly. Watt later returned to his singer-songwriter roots with a trilogy of solo albums released between 2014 and 2020. The duo surprised fans by reuniting in April 2023 with their long-awaited studio album, Fuse, which debuted at #3 on the UK album chart, achieving their highest chart position in their career.