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Little Known Facts:
Personal Lives
•Dave Matthews is currently married to Jennifer Ashley Harper. They have three children, two of which are twin girls. Prior to Jennifer, he proposed to Julia Grey three times (and was told no each time).
•Boyd Tinsley (violinist) is married with two children. His trademark is his dark glasses always worn when he performs. Tinsley is an occasional model, and has been seen on billboards for JanSport and modeled a Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci outfit in the L.A. Times. LeRoi Moore (saxophonist) also is known for wearing dark glasses while performing.
•Carter Beauford (drummer) is married with three children. His first daughter, Brianna Simone, is from a previous marriage. Carter is a former history teacher, and is currently writing scores for television. At the age of three, his father took him to see Buddy Rich, and Beauford admits that is when he knew his career.
•Stefan Lessard (bassist) is married with three children. His nickname is Fonzie, and he joined the band when he was 16. He has a son from a previous marriage.
•Butch Taylor (keyboard) is currently married with three sons. He earned a Bachelors and Masters Degree from James Madison University in music. He was previously a teacher at the University of Virginia and James Madison University, and played the trumpet in the James Madison University jazz band.
Career Background/Interesting Facts
•Dave graduated from St. Stithians College, a private all male college in Johannesburg, South Africa.
•Dave Matthews Band was ranked #88 on VH1’s 100 Sexiest Artists.
•Dave broke two ribs after failing to catch a grape in his mouth. He tripped over a guitar case and landed on the arm of a chair.
•Dave's sister passed away in 1993. The album Under the Table and Dreaming is dedicated to her.
•“Good music is good music, and everything else can go to hell.” – Dave Matthews
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Dave Matthews Band Albums
Remember Two Things - 1993
Recently - EP 1994
Under the Table and Dreaming - 1994
Crash - 1996
Before These Crowded Streets - 1998
Everyday - 2001
The Lillywhite Sessions - 2001
Busted Stuff - 2002
Stand Up - 2005
Dave Matthews Band Tickets
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Awards
•In 1997, they won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “So Much to Say.”
•DMB won Coolest Fan Website in 2000 and 2001 by VH1, along with My Favorite Group in 2001, Must Have Album (
Everyday, 2001), and Damn I Wish I Wrote That! (“The Space Between”, 2001).
•In 2004, Dave Matthews Band received the Chairman’s Award during the NAACP Image Awards.
Biography
Based in Charlottesville, Virginia,
Dave Matthews Band is made up of singer/songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, saxophonist LeRoi Moore, electric violinist Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford and bassist Stefan Lessard. Prior to his Dave Matthews Band career, David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the third of four children. He moved to the United States at the age of two where the family settled in Yorktown Heights in Westchester County, New York. He later moved to Charlottesville, Virginia after being asked by the South African government to put in two years of required military service. Dave was raised in a Quaker family, which meant military service was not an option.
Dave Matthews worked as a bartender at Miller’s Bar in Charlottesville in 1990. He made friends with a lawyer named Ross Hoffman who convinced him to record a demo tape of the songs he wrote. He was initially apprehensive about playing in front of people and was unsure if it was a good idea. It was Hoffman who introduced Dave to another local musician, Carter Beauford. Beauford had been involved in many jazz bands and at the time had work on BET (Black Entertainment Television). Carter listened to the demo and agreed to play the drums with Dave inside the studio. Another local jazz musician, LeRoi Moore was performing with the John D’Earth Quintet, and was convinced by Dave to join his group. The trio began working on Dave's songs in 1991.
Because the group only involved three men, they didn’t have the full sound that Dave envisioned, which meant they had to acquire additional members. Moore asked a student of former bandmate D’Earth to join the group. Stefan Lessard was only 16 at the time and joined to help them complete the demo. Initially the goal was to create the tape and progress, but the group enjoyed the sound that came from them so much that they continued to play and practice together in the basements of Dave's and Beauford’s mother’s homes. Fellow bartender, Peter Griesar, from Miller’s allowed them to use the empty bar for practices. After hearing them rehearse, Griesar pulled out a harmonica and played with them for a few songs. He was then invited to perform with the group, which he accepted. Griesar became their first keyboardist which lasted from 1991-1993.
The final piece of the puzzle came in the form of violinist Boyd Tinsley. Tinsley had been asked to help with the band’s demo of “Tripping Billies” in 1991 and became a full-time band member a short year later. Dave Matthews Band’s first in-studio demo was composed of three songs and was recorded between February and March of 1991. The songs included “The Song That Jane Likes,” “Recently” and “Tripping Billies.” Their first public show was in 1991 at the Earth Day Festival. The band’s sound was unique from other bands heard in the area, and word spread quickly of their talent. The only problem at this point was that they didn’t have a name. Ideas were tossed around, including Dumela (the Tswana word for “hello”). One theory about how they came across the name "
Dave Matthews Band" when they booked a gig over the telephone. Moore made the call and wasn’t sure what to tell them the band’s name was, so he said “Just write Dave Matthews.” It was assumed that the person over the phone wrote “band” after the name and so it stuck.
Their breakthrough success began in 1994 with the release of their first LP
Under the Table and Dreaming on September 20. Their first commercial hits were from this album, including “What Would You Say,” “Satellite” and “Ants Marching.” Their second album
Crash brought about national attention and a Grammy Award. Since then, the band has sold over 15 albums, including eight live albums and one compilation. Their list of awards is astonishing and their sound is unlike any before it. Due to their overwhelming popularity,
Dave Matthews Band tickets have been hard to come by. They have played for sold out crowds all across the U.S. and are gaining more and more attention as the days go on.
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