Dave Matthews | |
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.jpg) Matthews performing in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | David John Matthews |
| Born | (1967-01-09)January 9, 1967 (age 58) Johannesburg, South Africa |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of |
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| Website | davematthewsband |
David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for theDave Matthews Band (DMB).
Matthews was born inJohannesburg,South Africa[1][2] and moved frequently between South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States while growing up. He started playingacoustic guitar at the age of nine.
From 1991 to 2003, Matthews predominantly focused on songwriting and performing with the Dave Matthews Band, which he started in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. He also has done various solo performances and produced other records. During the period from 2000 to 2010, his band toured constantly, selling more tickets and earning more money than any other act in North America.[3] The band's 2012 albumAway from the World made them the only group to have six consecutive studio albums debut at number one on theBillboard charts. This record was extended to seven consecutive number one albums with the 2018 release,Come Tomorrow.
In addition to music, Matthews has had multiple acting roles.[4] He has also won two Grammy Awards: one with the Dave Matthews Band in 1997 forBest Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("So Much to Say") and one in 2004 forBest Male Rock Vocal Performance ("Gravedigger") from his solo album.
David John Matthews was born on January 9, 1967 inJohannesburg,[5] the third of four children born to South African parents, John and Val Matthews.[6] At age two, Matthews moved with his family toYorktown Heights, New York, where his father, a physicist, started working forIBM.[7]
In 1974, the Matthews family moved toCambridge, England, for a year, then returned to New York, where his father died from lung cancer in 1977 when Matthews was ten years old.[8] At some point, while residing in New York, Matthews attended his first concert, when his mother took him to a performance byPete Seeger.[9] The family returned to Johannesburg in 1977.[10]
Matthews naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1980.[11]
Upon Matthews's graduation from secondary school in 1985, he was faced withconscription into the South African military just ascivil disobedience to the practice was becoming widespread.[12] As aQuaker (and consequently pacifist), Matthews left South Africa to avoid service.[13]
Matthews moved to New York in 1986 where he worked forIBM for a short time,[10] then joined his mother that same year inCharlottesville, Virginia, a town Matthews's family had lived in before he was born.[10] In Charlottesville, he became part of the local music community, rehearsing in a warehouse owned byRoulhac Toledano.[14] Although Matthews had started playing the guitar at age nine, it was only in Charlottesville that he started performing publicly.[10] Matthews met local star (and future collaborator)Tim Reynolds through mutual friend, Nic Cappon. In time, Reynolds had Matthews join him on stage, and Matthews was persuaded to record some of his own songs.[10][15] This led to his first professional musical gig at amodern dance performance by theMiki Liszt Dance Company, based at McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville, singing "Meaningful Love", composed byJohn D'earth and Dawn Thompson.[16] In 1991, he hatched the idea to form his own band.[10] Before recording his first demo, Matthews bartended at Miller's in Charlottesville.[17]
After writing his first few songs, including "I'll Back You Up", "The Song That Jane Likes" and "Recently", Matthews formedDave Matthews Band in early 1991 withLeRoi Moore,Carter Beauford,Stefan Lessard,Peter Griesar (who left the band in 1993), andBoyd Tinsley while working at Miller's as a bartender.[18] The band's first show was on March 14, 1991, as part of a benefit for theMiddle East Children's Alliance atTrax Nightclub in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Matthews's older sister Anne, who lived in South Africa, was murdered by her husband in early 1994. Her husband then died by suicide on or around January 27 of that year.[19] The event had a profound effect on Matthews's outlook on life and was referenced in a few of his songs. On January 29, 1994, he performed withTim Reynolds atthe Wetlands in New York, where he dedicated that performance "to her [Anne's] memory". Dave Matthews Band'sUnder the Table and Dreaming, released later that year, was dedicated to her.[19] Anne Matthews was survived by her two children, and they traveled to the United States following her death. Dave and his younger sister Jane (after whom the Dave Matthews Band song "The Song That Jane Likes" is named) took responsibility for the children's upbringing.[19]
Matthews focused primarily on songwriting and performances withDave Matthews Band from 1990 to 2003. The band's sound blends acoustic guitar, bass, saxophone, drums and violin. In 1994, DMB signed withRCA Records.[17][20] Since that period, he has occasionally ventured outside the band in various solo performances and records.Matthews sang on the track "Sing Along" onBlue Man Group's second albumThe Complex in 2003.[21] Later that year he released the solo albumSome Devil, which wentplatinum; its single "Gravedigger" won aGrammy Award in 2004.[22] To support the album, Matthews toured with a group of musicians (many of whom performed on "Some Devil") under the nameDave Matthews & Friends.[23][24]
Dave often collaborates with banjoistBéla Fleck.[25] Fleck is thefrontman and namesake ofBéla Fleck and the Flecktones; Matthews appears as guest vocalist with the band on their 1998 release,Left of Cool. Both Fleck and the Flecktones' bassistVictor Wooten have made numerous live appearances and in studio with the Dave Matthews Band. Wooten soloed in the second part of theDaniel Lanois song "The Maker", and also in "#41" on the 1998 live albumLive in Chicago. The Flecktones also opened for DMB on several tours. Matthews performed a duet withEmmylou Harris on "My Antonia" on her 2000 albumRed Dirt Girl.[26] They also appeared together on the musical television showCMT Crossroads,[27] where the two performed Matthews's "Gravedigger" and the folk song "Long Black Veil".[28]
Matthews played a cover ofNeil Young's song "The Needle and the Damage Done" at the 2010 tributeMusiCares Person of the Year, honoring Young on January 29, 2010.[29]
Before he was known as a musician, Dave Matthews was an amateur actor, appearing onstage in several productions at Charlottesville'sOffstage Theatre and Live Arts theater[30] in the early 1990s; the role for which he is best remembered is as a used car salesman in Offstage Theatre's "Just Say No," directed by John Quinn, co-starring Kylie Suture.[31] He played Will Coleman in the 2003 adaptation of the novelWhere the Red Fern Grows.[32] In 2005, he played inBecause of Winn-Dixie as Otis, a man who works at a pet store and plays guitar.In 2007, Matthews appeared briefly in the movieI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, where he plays a homosexual salesman.[33] In 2008, he appeared in theAdam Sandler movieYou Don't Mess with the Zohan as a racist redneck character named James.[34] He also had a significant role inLake City withSissy Spacek andTroy Garity, in which he portrays the character Red.[35]
In 2007, Matthews guest-starred in the medical-drama seriesHouse in the episode "Half-Wit". He played a piano-playing musicalsavant who had the two hemispheres of his brain severed from each other in order to recover from his epilepsy, but at the expense of his musical abilities. Dave had a piano double for the complex pieces, but played the simpler pieces himself.[36] In theseason one episode ofHouse, "Love Hurts", the song "Some Devil" can be heard playing at the end. In another episode, one of the tracks fromStand Up, "You Might Die Trying" was played in theseason five episode, "Not Cancer".[37]
Matthews was also a cast member and performer in the popular music documentaryBefore the Music Dies.[38]
In 1999, Matthews purchased more than 10 acres of land in Albemarle County, Virginia, known as Blenheim Farm, to preserve its historical significance. He later decided to plant grapes on the property, since it is located within both the Virginia andMonticelloviticultural areas. Blenheim Vineyards was founded in 2000, and currently produces 5,500 cases of wine per year, including its signaturePetit Verdot and several special edition wines that have featured unique labels with drawings by Matthews.[39]
In 2011, Matthews collaborated with wine makers Steve Reeder and Sean McKenzie in creating theDreaming Tree Wines.[40][41][42]
In April 2012, Matthews was credited as producer on the documentaryLast Call at the Oasis, directed byJessica Yu.[43]
In early 2013, Matthews participated in a jam session at Blade Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana, withJakob Dylan,Charlie Sexton, Blade studios co-ownerBrady Blade, and Sexton's brother Will. This led to the formation of a band named The Nauts with Matthews, Dylan, Blade, and the Sexton brothers as members.[44]
On May 16, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 quarantine, Matthews appeared streaming on the virtual graduation ceremonies for the University of Virginia. He wished students his best and said "it is now your small opportunity to make the world a better place, as you see fit." He then sang the song "Singing from the Windows".[45]
Dave Matthews married longtime girlfriend Jennifer Ashley Harper in 2000. They have twin daughters born in 2001, and a son born in 2007.[46] They reside inSeattle.[47] In a 2001 interview, Matthews stated that he wasagnostic.[48] He joined theFarm Aid board of directors in 2001,[49] to serve alongside fellow musiciansWillie Nelson,John Mellencamp andNeil Young to raise money for family farmers in the United States.[50]
Matthews supportedBarack Obama for president in 2008, both in the primaries and in the general election.[51] On April 6, 2008, he and Tim Reynolds played a concert titled "Change Rocks"[52] at Indiana University to encourage students to register to vote. The tickets were distributed by the Obama campaign.[53] Questions regarding his citizenship were answered by advertisements and videos on YouTube, where he says he is a "real American" and a "real Virginian," stating that "real Virginians get out and vote."[54] Although bereaved by the loss of band co-founder and saxophonistLeRoi Moore on August 19, 2008, he andTim Reynolds played for theDemocratic National Convention delegates on Sunday, August 24 at Red Rocks.[55]
On September 21, 2009, Matthews stated that some of PresidentBarack Obama's harsher critics were motivated by his race, and stated that he "sees it [racism] everywhere" in the United States.[56] Matthews is also a strong supporter ofgay rights and participated in "Love Unites Shepard Fairey Equality Project", a gay marriage advocacy project.[57]
On May 10, 2012, Matthews entertained a sellout crowd at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle where President Obama was hosting a campaign fundraiser.[58]
In a September 28, 2015, interview withRolling Stone, Matthews said that "when I hear someone likeBernie Sanders talking, I think there's a hope."[59] Matthews performed at a San Francisco rally for Sanders during the 2016 presidential primaries and later, during the general election campaign. He was a major donor to the 2017 gubernatorial campaign of progressive Charlottesville politicianTom Perriello.[60]
On October 30, 2021, Matthews performed at a Democratic get out the vote event inCharlottesville, Virginia with gubernatorial candidateTerry McAuliffe.[61][62] During the 2022 election campaign, Matthews performed at campaign events for Democratic candidatesTim Ryan in Ohio andJohn Fetterman in Pennsylvania.[63]
The Dave Matthews Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Two shows have been released as part of the Dave Matthews Band'sDMBlive series available only for online download.[66]
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Mod | US Adult | US Pop | |||||||
| 2003 | "Gravedigger" | 35 | 35 | — | Some Devil | ||||
| "Save Me" | — | 26 | — | ||||||
| 2004 | "Oh" | — | — | — | |||||
| 2007 | "Eh Hee" | — | — | 73 | Non-album single | ||||
| 2024 | "Pretty Bird" | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | CAN | ||||
| 2009 | "I'm Alive"A | Kenny Chesney | 6 | 32 | 73 | Greatest Hits II |
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Live at Radio City |
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"Sing Along," a track from The Complex, featuring Dave Matthews on vocals, is Blue Man Group's first music video.
Joining Matthews on the outing are Trey Anastasio,Brady Blade, Tony Hall,Ray Paczkowski and Tim Reynolds.... Late last month, Matthews releasedSome Devil; his first solo set. Anastasio, Hall and Blade all appear on the album.
In late 2013, it was announced that Dave Matthews was part of a music project calledThe Nauts. Matthews, along withJakob Dylan,Brady Blade,Charlie Sexton and his brother Bill are self producing their debut album at the Blade Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Though the band formed in a Virginia college town back in 1991, Dave Matthews has been a Seattle resident since Bush II's first term.
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