members

Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews is the vocalist/guitarist and he formed the band in Virginia in the early 90's. One really interesting fact about Dave is that he was born in South Africa. Before the band he first performed with a group in 1989 called TR3. In September 1889, Dave sang a duet with Dawn Thompson. The new decade brought a new emphasis on music for Dave. In 1990, Dave met Ross Hoffman, a local songwriter who owned a recording studio. He really encouraged Dave's songwriting. "Before then, I had just doodled around on the guitar and never finished a song..."(C' Ville Weekly, 10/7/94). By October 1990, Dave completed four songs. Dave is married (Ashley), and has twin daughters named Grace and Stella.

A little history on Dave

At age nine Dave took his first guitar lesson. In 1997, John Matthews (Dave's dad), died of Lung Cancer. Since Dave was unfortunately familiar with death he often uses it in songs now today. Well after spending four years playing the guitar, Dave left South Africa in 1986.

Carter Beauford

DMB member, Carter Beauford, plays the drums, congas, vibraphone, bongos and sings the backup vocals. Carter started on his music career at the young age of three. "My dad was a jazz trumpet player and kind of helped me to the whole music scene. And he made it look like so much fun so I decided to go ahead and pursue it."

Eventually he wound up in a Richmond, VA based group named Secrets. The young Dave Matthews used to watch Secrets and he finally approached Beauford and saxophonist Leroi Moore to help him work on some material. "I took a listen to it, and it was kind of interesting, the way he played and wrote music," Beauford says. "Before long we were in a studio recording...".

They played some songs to friends to see what they thought. Obviously, it was very successful. Since the release of "Before These Crowded Streets," Carter has sown up on other albums such as Carlos Santana, Blues Traveler's John Popper, Victor Wooten of Bella Fleck's Flecktones and Robin Andre (AKA Boy Wonder). "I feel that it's important to get in there and try to tackle someone else's music and play a little differently, and then bring it back to the band."

Stefan Lessard

The youngest member of the Dave Matthews Band is the electric /bass player Stefan Lessard. He was boring in south Caroline on June 4, 1974. Stefan grew up with two very musically talented parents. Stefan spent many years traveling place to place with his family. in 1984 the Lessard family moved to Charlottesville, West Virginia. There he met up with Jonh D'Earth, who recommended Stefan to the Dave Matthews band. John D'earth was his music teacher at school. Stefan had to drop out of the school in the early 1990's because the band's popularity started to grow. It was too difficult for him to attend the classes. Even though Stefan is very young he plays with such a seriousness and maturity which is way beyond his age. He helps the band by adding a touch of youth. Little is heard about this member of the band so it's hard to understand how much more than playing Stefan adds to the Dave Matthews Band.

Boyd Tinsley

Boyd Clavin Tinsley plays the violin and sings back round vocals for the band. he was born on May 16, 1964. he also grew up in the same neighborhood as Leroi Moore and Carter Beauford. he attempted to play the violin in school and he developed a strong passion for it. He feels that he got off to a late start musically, but form the great teachers he had, made him grow rapidly as a musician. For awhile Boyd thought that he would be playing classical music. Boyd got the idea of being a in a rock band violinist band from attending all night music features at a college. He graduated from UVS and then started a band called the Boyd Tinsley Band. Later on he made his first impression on Dave while playing alone at a fraternity party. In 1991, Matthews asked Boyd to play with the others on a demo. Over a year Boyd Tinsley played in three bands. But, in mid 1992, he became a permanent member of the DMB!

Leroi Moore

Leroi Moore contributes to the Dave Matthews band by playing the Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Contra Bass Clarinet, Flute, and sings back round vocals. He started to like music because of his mother who liked to play hymns on a small, old organ. Leroi began to play the alto saxophone in his junior high school band. It wasn't long before he took up the tenor sax as well. After high school he attended James Madison University and studied the tenor saxophone there. Over the next ten years Leroi played in groups that John D'earth and Dawn Thompson were in, During these gigs was when Dave and Leroi met. Leroi agrees to help DAve make a demo. To help stage fright, Leroi always wears sunglasses. He uses he adrenaline from the fear to turn his disadvantages to an advantage. He takes eleven instruments on tour and he his definitely not shy with his music!