Dave Matthews Band, also known by the initialism DMB, is an American rock band that was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. They are the first group to have six consecutive studio albums debut in the top spot (Metallica would be the second to do so in 2016). As of 2010, the Dave Matthews Band has sold over 50 million records worldwide.
Dave Matthews has chronicled his life’s travels so often that when asked, he can rattle off the details without pause. It goes like this: Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1967. Moves two years later with his family to Westchester County, NY, where his dad, a physicist, goes to work for IBM. Then, in the early `70s, to Cambridge, England, before returning to New York — where his dad died in 1977. The family moved back to South Africa in 1980, where Matthews went to a few different schools and “got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general.” O.K.; pause for a breath.
Carter Beauford started on his music career at an early age — three years old. That’s when his father, who couldn’t find a baby sitter, took the toddler drummer-to-be to see the legendary Buddy Rich, which Beauford says “put the icing on the cake for me as far as what I wanted to do and what route to take. Believe it or not, I knew it was what I wanted to do then,” Beauford says. “My dad was a jazz trumpet player and kinda hipped me to the whole music scene. And he made it look like so much fun I decided to go ahead and pursue it.” Charlottesville, VA native Beauford largely lived behind his kit as a youth. “As long as I was on the drums, I was fine,” he says.
Jeff Coffin is an internationally recognized saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator and has been traveling the globe since the late 20th Century. He is a 3x Grammy Award winner from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and played with them from 1997-2010. In July 2008, Jeff began touring with Dave Matthews Band, and officially joined the group in 2009 following the tragic passing of founding member LeRoi Moore. When not on the road with DMB, Coffin fronts his own group, Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet.
Founding Dave Matthews Band member LeRoi Holloway Moore (September 7, 1961-August 19, 2008) was born in Durham, North Carolina and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi began playing the alto saxophone in the junior high school band, and played in the band during his tenure at Western Albemarle high school. He studied tenor saxophone at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Rashawn Ross started his musical journey from humble beginnings in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. While in high school, Ross began performing and traveling with some of the islands’ most popular dance and calypso bands. From that point, music became a huge part his life which led to his decision to pursue it as a career.
Bassist Stefan Lessard (aka Fonzy) is the youngest member of Dave Matthews Band, by a good seven years. He was just 16 when approached by the then bartender Dave Matthews who asked Stefan to join him, Carter Beauford and LeRoi Moore in their attempt to form a band. He was the perfect fit. Being so young, he saw the band as a continuation of his musical education and took the group very seriously. Still fresh in high school, he weaved simple yet strong bass lines proving to be an integral part of the new sound being created by the group.
Tim Reynolds has been playing music all of his life. Starting as a bass player in a gospel band in his hometown of St. Louis to his days in Charlottesville with TR3, his breakthrough electric trio in the 1980s, and his recent recording and touring with Dave Matthews Band and the Dave Matthews-Tim Reynolds Acoustic Duo. Tim’s progression has continued through his last eight years on the road as a solo acoustic guitar wizard, playing for packed houses and crowds who have come to realize that Tim is not just Dave’s sideman; he is one of the most talented, amazing, and thoughtful players on the circuit today.