Nick Hexum

Nick Hexum
Nick Hexum
	Hexum in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Nicholas Lofton Hexum
Also known as	DJ Lofton
Born	April 12, 1970; Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Origin	Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock; hard rock; reggae rock; rap rock; experimental rock; ska punk; funk rock; dub;
Occupation(s)	Singer; songwriter; rapper;
Instruments	Vocals; guitar; keyboard; bass; programing;
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Volcano; 311; What Have You; 100% Electronica;
Associated acts	311; Zack Hexum; The Nick Hexum Quintet; George Clanton;
Children	3
Website	www.nickhexum.com

Nicholas Lofton Hexum (born April 12, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter and rapper, currently the vocalist and guitarist for the multi-platinum alternative rock band 311 and The Nick Hexum Quintet.

Early life

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, to father Dr. Terry Hexum and mother Pat,^[1] Hexum went to Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska. There he played in the school's concert jazz band, and played in several local bands like "The Extras", "The Eds", "The Right Profile", and "Unity". In the late 1980s, Nick moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, but found his opportunity back home in Omaha just a couple years later. His friend and future bandmate Chad Sexton convinced him to move back to Omaha to start a band with friends Aaron Wills and Jim Watson; this band would eventually take the name 311.

Hexum has three siblings: brothers Patrick, Zack (also a musician) and sister Angela. His parents are now divorced. Patrick died fighting an opioid addiction.^[1]

311

311 began playing together in 1988. In 1990, Hexum realized the only way for 311 to gain recognition was to release albums, so he started his own record company called "What Have You Records" and used it to begin releasing 311 titles. The band released three albums, Dammit!, Unity, and Hydroponic, as well as one EP, Downstairs EP, before signing to Capricorn Records in 1992.

311 has sold over 9 million albums in the US. They have had seven albums in the Top 10 on Billboard's US Top 200 Sales Chart, and nine singles in the Top 10 on Billboard's US Alternative Chart (including three #1 singles). 311 has headlined amphitheaters in the US for the past 11 consecutive summers.

Personal life

Hexum had a relationship with Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls from 2000 to 2004. Hexum married his wife Nikki on New Year's Eve 2008. Their daughter Echo was born in a home birth on August 29, 2009.^[2] Their second daughter, Maxine, was born May 1, 2011, also Nikki's birthday. Due to the absence of his family's midwife, Hexum performed the delivery.^[3] Their third daughter, Harlow, was born September 16, 2014. ^[4] Harlow starred in the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Ayla Fitz.

Hexum has contributed to the charity collaboration Band of Merrymakers.^[5]

Discography

with 311

Dammit! (1990)
Unity (1991)
Hydroponic EP (1992)
Music (1993)
Grassroots (1994)
311 (1995)
Transistor (1997)
Soundsystem (1999)
From Chaos (2001)
Evolver (2003)
Don't Tread on Me (2005)
Uplifter (2009)
Universal Pulse (2011)
Stereolithic (2014)
Mosaic (2017)
Voyager (2019)

with The Nick Hexum Quintet

My Shadow Pages (2013)

with George Clanton

Crash Pad/King For a Day (2019)
Under Your Window/Out of the Blue (2019)
George Clanton & Nick Hexum (2020)

Guest appearances

The Urge - Master of Styles (1998, vocals on "Jump Right In")
Sugar Ray - Sugar Ray (2001, vocals on "Stay On")
Goldfinger - The Knife (2017, vocals on "Liftoff")
Dirty Heads - Swim Team (2017, vocals on "So Glad You Made It")

References

^ ^a ^b "UNMC researcher cheers on musical sons - UNMC". App1.unmc.edu. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
^ Hexum, Nick [@NickHexum] (2009-08-29). "Echo Hexum was born at home today at four in the morning. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. Time to go to bed..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-02-23 – via Twitter.
^ "311's Nick Hexum Delivers Daughter Maxine". People. June 16, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ Hexum, Nick [@NickHexum] (2014-09-16). "Healthy baby girl Harlow born into the Hexum family at 3:42 on 9/16/14. 7 lbs. 15 oz. Overjoyed!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-07-28 – via Twitter.
^ "Portrait Records Signs Holiday Supergroup Band Of Merrymakers". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.

[unmc.edu-1] "UNMC researcher cheers on musical sons - UNMC". App1.unmc.edu. Retrieved 17 November 2017.

[2] Hexum, Nick [@NickHexum] (2009-08-29). "Echo Hexum was born at home today at four in the morning. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. Time to go to bed..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-02-23 – via Twitter.

[3] "311's Nick Hexum Delivers Daughter Maxine". People. June 16, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[4] Hexum, Nick [@NickHexum] (2014-09-16). "Healthy baby girl Harlow born into the Hexum family at 3:42 on 9/16/14. 7 lbs. 15 oz. Overjoyed!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-07-28 – via Twitter.

[5] "Portrait Records Signs Holiday Supergroup Band Of Merrymakers". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.

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