David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the

Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and bac ...

(DMB). Matthews was born in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

, and moved frequently among South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States while growing up. Matthews started playing

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

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 sold more tickets and earned more money than any other act in North America. The band's 2012 album ''

Away from the World ''Away from the World'' is the eighth studio album by Dave Matthews Band (DMB), released on September 11, 2012. The album is their first since 2009's ''Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King.'' The album's title comes from a line in the song "The Riff": ...

'' made them the only group to have six consecutive studio albums debut at number one on the ''Billboard'' 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. He has also won two Grammy Awards: one with the Dave Matthews Band in 1997 for

Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011. The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. Beginning in 2012, all solo or duo/group ...

So Much to Say "So Much to Say" is a song by American rock group Dave Matthews Band. It was released in August 1996 as the second single from their album, ''Crash (Dave Matthews Band album), Crash''. It won a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo ...

") and one in 2004 for

Best Male Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to male recording artists for works (songs or albums) containin ...

Gravedigger A gravedigger is a cemetery worker who is responsible for digging a grave prior to a funeral service. Description If the grave is in a cemetery on the property of a church or other religious organization (part of, or called, a churchyard), g ...

") from his solo album.

Early life

David John Matthews was born in

, the third of four children of parents John and Val Matthews. At the age of two years, Matthews moved with his family to

Yorktown Heights, New York Yorktown Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Yorktown, New York, Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. The popula ...

, where his father, a physicist, started working for IBM. In 1974, the Matthews family moved to Cambridge, England, for a year, then returned to New York, where his father died from lung cancer in 1977. At some point, while residing in New York, Matthews attended his first concert, when his mother took him to a performance by

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...

. The family returned to Johannesburg in 1977. Matthews naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1980. Upon Matthews's graduation from Damelin College high school in 1985, he was faced with

conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

into the South African military just as

civil disobedience Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called "civil". Hen ...

to the practice was becoming widespread. As a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

(and consequently pacifist), Matthews left South Africa to avoid service.Whitefield, Fredricka (2005)
"Profiles of U2 and The Dave Matthews Band"
CNN.com (accessed May 3, 2006) Matthews moved to New York in 1986 where he worked for IBM for a short time, then joined his mother that same year in Charlottesville, Virginia, a town Matthews's family had lived in before he was born. In Charlottesville, he became part of the local music community. Although Matthews had started playing the guitar at age nine, it was only in Charlottesville that he started performing publicly. Through a mutual friend, Nic Cappon, Matthews met local star (and future collaborator)

Tim Reynolds Tim Reynolds (born 15 December 1957) is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist known as both a solo artist and as a lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band. AllMusic critic MacKenzie Wilson has called Reynolds "an under-rated master". ...

. In time, Reynolds had Matthews join him on stage, and Matthews was persuaded to record some of his own songs."Driven: Dave Matthews – About the Episode"
VH1.com (accessed May 4, 2006) This led to his first professional musical gig at a

modern dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance which included dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th ...

performance by the ''Miki Liszt Dance Company'', based at McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville, singing "Meaningful Love", composed by

John D'earth John D'earth (born March 30, 1950) is an American post-bop/hard bop jazz trumpeter born in Framingham, Massachusetts, Framingham, Massachusetts who has appeared on recordings by Dave Matthews and Bruce Hornsby as well as recording a number of C ...

and Dawn Thompson. In 1991, he hatched the idea to form his own band. Before recording his first demo, Matthews bartended at Miller's in Charlottesville.

Formation of Dave Matthews Band

After writing his first few songs, including "I'll Back You Up", "The Song That Jane Likes" and "Recently", Matthews formed

in early 1991 with

LeRoi Moore LeRoi Holloway Moore (September 7, 1961 – August 19, 2008) was an American saxophonist. He was a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band. Moore often arranged music for songs written by Dave Matthews. Moore also co-wrote many of the band's ...

Carter Beauford Carter Anthony Beauford (born November 2, 1958) is an American drummer, percussionist, and founding member of Dave Matthews Band. He is known for his ability to adapt to a variety of genres, and both his ambidextrous and his open-handed drumm ...

Stefan Lessard Stefan Kahil Lessard (born June 4, 1974) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for the Dave Matthews Band. Early life Lessard was born in Anaheim, California, Anaheim, California, to musicians Ron and Jacqueline Lessard. After movin ...

Peter Griesar Peter Griesar (born 1969) is an American musician, known for playing keyboards, harmonica and providing backing vocals with the Dave Matthews Band from August 1990 to March 1993. He grew up in Westchester County, New York and moved to Charlottesvi ...

(who left the band in 1993), and

Boyd Tinsley Boyd Calvin Tinsley (born May 16, 1964) is an American violinist and mandolinist who is best known for having been a member of the Dave Matthews Band. Early life Tinsley was raised in a musical family. His father was a choir director and his un ...

while working at Miller's as a bartender. The band's first show was on March 14, 1991, as part of a benefit for the

Middle East Children's Alliance Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek ( ...

at Trax 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. 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 with

at the Wetlands in New York, where he dedicated that performance "to her nne'smemory". Dave Matthews Band's ''

Under the Table and Dreaming ''Under the Table and Dreaming'' is the debut studio album from Dave Matthews Band, released on September 27, 1994. The album's first single was "What Would You Say", featuring John Popper of Blues Traveler on harmonica. Two other singles from th ...

'', released later that year, was dedicated to her. 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.

Other musical work

Matthews focused primarily on songwriting and performances with the

from 1990 to 2003. DMB is an artistic blend of acoustic guitar, bass, sax, drums and fiddle music. In 1994, DMB signed with

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

. Since that period, he has occasionally ventured outside the band in various solo performances and records. Matthews sang on the track "Sing Along" on

Blue Man Group Blue Man Group is an American performance art company formed in 1987. It was purchased in July 2017 by the Canadian company Cirque du Soleil. Blue Man Group is known for its stage productions, which incorporate many kinds of music and art, bot ...

's second album '' The Complex'' in 2003. Later that year he released the solo album ''

Some Devil ''Some Devil'' is the only studio album by musician Dave Matthews. It was released on September 23, 2003 on RCA Records. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, signifying over a million copies sold. The album features several guest musici ...

'', which went

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Platinu ...

; its single "

" won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

in 2004. Dave Mathews drew motivation for this song from the long-running Monster Jam celebrity Grave Digger. To support the album, Matthews toured with a group of musicians (many of whom performed on "Some Devil") under the name

Dave Matthews & Friends Dave Matthews & Friends is an American jam band that was put together for a tour to support Dave Matthews' solo debut, ''Some Devil''. Most of the musicians participated in the album's production. The band consists of: * Dave Matthews � ...

. Dave often collaborates with banjoist

Béla Fleck Béla Anton Leoš Fleck (born July 10, 1958) is an American banjo player. An acclaimed virtuoso, he is an innovative and technically proficient pioneer and ambassador of the banjo, bringing the instrument from its bluegrass roots to jazz, classi ...

. Fleck is the

frontman The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

and namesake of

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Béla may refer to: * Béla (crater), an elongated lunar crater * Béla (given name), a common Hungarian male given name See also * Bela (disambiguation) * Belá (disambiguation) * Bělá (disambiguation) Bělá, derived from ''bílá'' (''whit ...

; Matthews appears as guest vocalist with the band on their 1998 release, ''

Left of Cool ''Left of Cool'' is the fifth studio album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 1998. History ''Left of Cool'' is the first album to feature Jeff Coffin, who had already toured with the band after the departure of Howard Levy. ...

''. Both Fleck and the Flecktones' bassist

Victor Wooten Victor Lemonte Wooten (born September 11, 1964) is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He has been the bassist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones since the group's formation in 1988 and a member of the band SMV with two other ...

have made numerous live appearances and in studio with the Dave Matthews Band. Wooten soloed in the second part of the

Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie ...

song "The Maker", and also in " #41" on the 1998 live album ''

Live in Chicago Live in Chicago may refer to: Albums *Live! in Chicago (Kenny Wayne Shepherd album) * ''Live in Chicago'' (The Apples in Stereo album), a live album by The Apples in Stereo *''Live in Chicago, 1999'', an album by Joan of Arc *''Live in Chicago'', b ...

''. The Flecktones also opened for DMB on several tours. Matthews performed a duet with

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

on "My Antonia" on her 2000 album ''

Red Dirt Girl ''Red Dirt Girl'' is the nineteenth studio album by American country artist Emmylou Harris, released on September 12, 2000 by Nonesuch Records. The album was a significant departure for Harris, as eleven of the twelve tracks were written or co-wr ...

''. They also appeared together on the musical television show ''

CMT Crossroads ''CMT Crossroads'' is an American television program broadcast on CMT that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres such as alternative rock, pop, R&B, Rock, soul and more, frequently trading off performing one anot ...

'', where the two performed Matthews's "

" and the folk song "

Long Black Veil "Long Black Veil" is a 1959 country ballad, written by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin and originally recorded by Lefty Frizzell. It is told from the point of view of a man falsely accused of murder and executed. He refuses to provide an alibi, ...

". Matthews played a cover of

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

's song "

The Needle and the Damage Done "The Needle and the Damage Done" is a 1972 song by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young. The lyrics describe the effects of heroin addiction on musicians Young knew, including his friend and Crazy Horse bandmate Danny Whitten, who would ...

" at the 2010 tribute

MusiCares Person of the Year The MusiCares Person of the Year is an award presented annually by MusiCares, the charity arm of The Recording Academy, the same organization that distributes the Grammy Awards, to commend musicians for their artistic achievement in the music in ...

, honoring Young on January 29, 2010. The Dave Matthews Band opened for

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

on their

Bridges to Babylon Tour The Bridges to Babylon Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones. Staged in support of their album ''Bridges to Babylon'', the tour visited stadiums from 1997 to 1998. It grossed over $274 million, becoming the second-highest-gr ...

(1997–1998), and Matthews sang "

Wild Horses Wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus ''Equus'' that includes domesticated and undomesticated subspecies. * Przewalski's wild horse (''Equus ferus przewalskii'' or ''Equus przewalskii''), a rare and endangered subspecies of wild ...

" and "

Memory Motel "Memory Motel" is a ballad song from English rock band the Rolling Stones' 1976 album ''Black and Blue''. The song is credited to singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards (named Richard at the time). It's one of the few which feature both ...

" with

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

Acting

Before he was known as a musician, Dave Matthews was an amateur actor, appearing onstage in several productions at Charlottesville's Offstage Theatre and Live Arts theater 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. He played Will Coleman in the 2003 adaptation of the novel '' Where the Red Fern Grows''. In 2005, he played in ''

Because of Winn-Dixie ''Because of Winn-Dixie'' is a 2000 children's novel written by Kate DiCamillo. It was adapted as a 2005 family film directed by Wayne Wang, produced by Walden Media and Twentieth Century Fox, and starring AnnaSophia Robb as Opal Buloni.

'' as Otis, a man who works at a pet store and plays guitar. In 2007, Matthews appeared briefly in the movie ''

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ''I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry'' (also simply known as ''Chuck & Larry'') is a 2007 American buddy comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan. It stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters Chuck and Larry, respectively, two New Yo ...

'', where he plays a homosexual salesman. In 2008, he appeared in the

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

movie ''

You Don't Mess with the Zohan ''You Don't Mess with the Zohan'' is a 2008 American satirical action comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel, and Judd Apatow, and produced by Sandler, Smigel, and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Sandler in th ...

'' as a racist redneck character named James. He also had a significant role in '' Lake City'' with

Sissy Spacek Mary Elizabeth Spacek (; born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four Briti ...

and

Troy Garity Troy Garity (born July 7, 1973) is an American film actor. He is primarily known for his role as Isaac in the ''Barbershop'' film series and as Barry Winchell in the television movie ''Soldier's Girl'' (2003), where he was nominated for a Golden ...

, in which he portrays the character Red. He was also in three movies in 2011: ''

The Other Side The Other Side, Other Side, or Otherside may refer to: Film, television and radio Films * ''The Other Side'' (1931 film), a German film directed by Heinz Paul * ''The Other Side'' a 1999 film by director Peter Flinth * ''The Other Side'' (2000 f ...

'' with

Giovanni Ribisi Antonino Giovanni Ribisi (; born December 17, 1974) is an American actor known for his starring roles in the TV series ''Sneaky Pete'' and the films ''Avatar'' (2009), '' Lost in Translation'' (2003), ''Ted'' (2012) and its sequel ''Ted 2'' (201 ...

and

Jason Lee Jason Lee may refer to: Entertainment *Jason Lee (actor) (born 1970), American film and TV actor and former professional skateboarder *Jason Scott Lee (born 1966), Asian American film actor * Jaxon Lee (Jason Christopher Lee, born 1968), American v ...

, ''In the Woods'', starring

Debra Winger Debra Lynn Wingerhttps://www.pressreader.com/usa/closer-weekly/20200511/282084868951188https://www.discountmags.com/magazine/closer-weekly-may-11-2020-digital/in-this-issue/99961 (born May 16, 1955)https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Inter ...

and

Terrence Howard Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor. Having his first major roles in the 1995 films ''Dead Presidents'' and '' Mr. Holland's Opus'', Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of television and cinema roles ...

, and the Adam Sandler/

Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...

comedy ''

Just Go with It ''Just Go with It'' is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Allan Loeb and Timothy Dowling, and produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, and Heather Parry. It is a remake of the 1969 film '' Cactus Flower'', ...

''. In 2007, Matthews guest-starred in the medical-drama series ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

'' in the episode "

Half-Wit "Half-Wit" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of ''House'' and premiered on the FOX network on March 6, 2007. Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Dave Matthews guest stars in the episode as Patrick, a savant and piano prodigy who comes und ...

". He played a piano-playing musical

savant Savant syndrome () is a rare condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain abilities far in excess of average. The skills that savants excel at are generally related to memory. This may include rapid calcu ...

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. In the

season one Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) * Season 4 (disambiguat ...

episode of ''House'', "

Love Hurts "Love Hurts" is a song written and composed by the American songwriter Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by the Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is most well known from the 1974 international hit version by Scottish hard rock band Nazaret ...

", the song "

" can be heard playing at the end. In another episode, one of the tracks from ''Stand Up'', " You Might Die Trying" was played in the

season five A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pola ...

episode, "

Not Cancer "Not Cancer" is the second episode of the fifth season of ''House'' and the eighty-eighth episode overall. It aired on September 23, 2008. Plot Two women are playing tennis when one of them collapses, clutching at her chest. On a construction sit ...

". The fifth time Matthews appeared as musical guest on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

'' in November 2009 (which was also the fourth time the Dave Matthews Band appeared on the show), he made an appearance as

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...

in a skit called "The Mellow Show".

Bill Hader William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the creator, producer, writer, director, and star of the HBO dark comedy series ''Barry'' (2018 ...

impersonated Matthews in the same skit. Matthews was also a cast member and performer in the popular music documentary ''

Before the Music Dies ''Before the Music Dies'' (B4MD) is a 2006 United States, U.S. documentary film that criticizes the American music industry and the increasing commercialization of the art of music over the past thirty years. The film features interviews and perfo ...

''. In 2018, Matthews guest-starred on ''

Pete the Cat Pete the Cat is a fictional cartoon cat, created by American artist James Dean. The series started with four books illustrated by Dean and with text by Eric Litwin; since then, James Dean and his wife Kimberly Dean have written and illustrated ...

'' as the voice of Gustavo's father, a platypus.

Other activities

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 and

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

viticultural Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

areas. Blenheim Vineyards was founded in 2000, and currently produces 5,500 cases of wine per year, including its signature

Petit Verdot Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen it adds tannin, c ...

and several special edition wines that have featured unique labels with drawings by Matthews. In 2011, Matthews collaborated with wine makers Steve Reeder and Sean McKenzie in creating the Dreaming Tree Wines. In April 2012, Matthews was credited as producer on the documentary ''Last Call at the Oasis'', directed by

Jessica Yu Jessica Lingmin Yu (born February 14, 1966) is an American film director, writer, producer, and editor. She has directed documentary films, dramatic films, and television shows. Yu won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in ...

. In early 2013, Matthews participated in a jam session at Blade Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana, with

Jakob Dylan Jakob Luke Dylan (born December 9, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter. He rose to fame as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the rock band the Wallflowers. Born in New York City to musician Bob Dylan and model Sara Lownds, Dylan beg ...

Charlie Sexton Charles Wayne Sexton (born August 11, 1968) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Sexton is best known for his years as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band, though also has become well known as a music producer. Sexton co-founded the Ar ...

, Blade studios co-owner

Brady Blade Brady L Blade Jr. (born 1965 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American rock, pop and country drummer, record producer and composer, who currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the son of Dorothy and Pastor Brady Blade Sr. (Pastor of the ...

, 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. However, there has been no news regarding an album release since that jam session. 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".

Personal life

Dave Matthews married longtime girlfriend Jennifer Ashley Harper in 2000. They have twin daughters born in 2001, and a son born in 2007. They reside in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

. In a 2001 interview, Matthews stated that he was

agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. (page 56 in 1967 edition) Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient ...

. He joined the

Farm Aid Farm Aid is an annual benefit concert held for American farmers. History On July 13, 1985, while performing at the Live Aid benefit concert for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine, Bob Dylan made comments about family farmers within the United S ...

board of directors in 2001, to serve alongside fellow musicians

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...

and

to raise money for family farmers in the United States.

Politics

Matthews published an Internet video before the

2000 U.S. presidential election The 2000 United States presidential election was the 54th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 7, 2000. Republican candidate George W. Bush, the governor of Texas and eldest son of the 41st president, George H. W. Bush ...

, urging viewers to vote without advocating any candidate. He mentioned only Ralph Nader by name, and updated fans about the recording sessions for ''

Everyday Everyday or Every Day may refer to: Books * ''Every Day'' (novel), by David Levithan, 2012 Film * ''Every Day'' (2010 film), an American comedy-drama starring Liev Schreiber and Helen Hunt * ''Everyday'' (film), a 2012 British drama direct ...

''. Although his music often explores political and social issues, Matthews refrained from public campaigning for presidential candidates until 2004. He cast his support strongly with Democratic nominee

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

, performing at political events including the

Vote for Change The Vote for Change tour was a politically motivated American popular music concert tour that took place in October 2004. The tour was presented by MoveOn.org to benefit America Coming Together. The tour was held in swing states and was designed ...

tour. Matthews also supported

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

for president in 2008, both in the primaries and in the general election. On April 6, 2008, he and Tim Reynolds played a concert titled "Change Rocks" at Indiana University to encourage students to register to vote. The tickets were distributed by the Obama campaign. 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." Although bereaved by the loss of band co-founder and saxophonist

on August 19, 2008, he and

played for the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

delegates on Sunday, August 24, at Red Rocks, and again with Reynolds at Virginia Commonwealth University on October 26, 2008, among other places. Matthews has often supported environmental initiatives, such as

biofuel Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (E ...

availability and the fight against

global climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

. On September 21, 2009, Matthews stated that some of President

's harsher critics were motivated by his race, and stated that he "sees it acismeverywhere" in the United States. Matthews is also a strong supporter of

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 3 ...

and participated in "Love Unites Shepard Fairey Equality Project", a gay marriage advocacy project. On May 10, 2012, Matthews entertained a sellout crowd at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle where President Obama was hosting a campaign fundraiser. In a September 28, 2015, interview with ''Rolling Stone'', Matthews said that "when I hear someone like

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...

talking, I think there's a hope." 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 politician

Tom Perriello Thomas Stuart Price Perriello (born October 9, 1974) is an American attorney, diplomat, and politician. As of January 2021, Perriello is the executive director for U.S. Programs at the Open Society Foundations. Perriello ran for in the United S ...

. On October 30, 2021, Matthews performed at a Democratic get out the vote event in Charlottesville VA with Virginia gubernatorial candidate

Terry McAuliffe Terence Richard McAuliffe (born February 9, 1957) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he was co-chairman of President Bill Clinton's 1996 ...

. During the 2022 election campaign, Matthews performed at campaign events for Democratic candidates Tim Ryan in Ohio and

John Fetterman John Karl Fetterman (born August 15, 1969) is an American politician who is the United States senator-elect from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he has also served as the 34th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania since 2019. Fet ...

in Pennsylvania.

Awards and accolades

Grammy Awards

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

– "

", Dave Matthews Band *

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

– "

", Dave Matthews

ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards

*Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture – "Where Are You Going" (for ''

Mr. Deeds ''Mr. Deeds'' is a 2002 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill, written by Tim Herlihy, and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder with Peter Gallagher, Jared Harris, Allen Covert, Erick Avari, and John Turturro in supporting roles. It w ...

'') *Dave Matthews was awarded D.M.A. ''honoris causa'' by Haverford College on May 15, 2005. *2002: Matthews was the recipient of the Orville Gibson Award for Best Acoustic Guitarist.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

'' (1994) * ''

Crash Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

'' (1996) * ''

Before These Crowded Streets ''Before These Crowded Streets'' is the third studio album by Dave Matthews Band, released on April 28, 1998. It was the last official album by the group to be produced by longtime producer Steve Lillywhite until 2012's '' Away from the World'' a ...

'' (1998) * ''

'' (2001) * ''

Busted Stuff ''Busted Stuff'' is the fifth studio album by Dave Matthews Band, released on July 16, 2002 by RCA Records. Produced by Stephen Harris, it was the band's second album not to feature longtime producer Steve Lillywhite. Nine of the album's eleven ...

'' (2002) * ''

'' (2003) * ''

Stand Up Stand Up may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Stand-up comedy, a comic style in which a comedian performs in front of a live audience Film * ''Stand Up'' (2007 film), a film featuring Modi Rosenfeld * ''Stand Up'' (2008 film), a Brit ...

'' (2005) * '' Imagine We Were'' (2005) – as Tribe of Heaven; originally recorded in 1989 * ''

Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King ''Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King'' is the seventh studio album by Dave Matthews Band, which was released by RCA Records on June 2, 2009. It is the band's first release since the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Guitarist Tim Reynolds played on t ...

'' (2009) * ''

'' (2012) * '' Come Tomorrow'' (2018)

Live Solo albums

* '' Live at Sweet Briar College'' (2016); originally recorded in 1996

Digital downloads

Two shows have been released as part of the Dave Matthews Band's '' DMBlive series'' available only for online download. * Dave Matthews Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA (October 24, 2002) – 2008 * Dave Matthews China Club, NYC (01/09/2004) – 2008

Live albums with Tim Reynolds

* ''

Live at Luther College ''Live at Luther College'' is a live album by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds recorded at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Recorded on February 6, 1996, and released nearly three years later, it was the first concert recording by the pair to be m ...

'' – (1999) * ''

Live at Radio City ''Live at Radio City'' is a live album and video by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds recorded at Radio City Music Hall on April 22, 2007. This was the first release by Matthews and Reynolds since ''Live at Luther College'', released in 1999. R ...

'' – (2007) * ''DMBLive. Prism Coffeehouse, Charlottesville, VA (04.22.1993)'' – (2008) * ''DMBLive. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (03.29.2003)'' – (2008) * '' Live in Las Vegas'' – (2010) * ''Live Trax Vol. 23 Whittemore Center Arena, Durham, NH (02.19.96)'' – (2012) * ''Live Trax Vol. 24 Spartanburg Memorial, Spartanburg, SC (02.08.97)'' – (2012) * ''DMBLive. Memphis, Richmond, VA (06.13.1993)'' – (2012) * ''DMBLive. J.T. Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City, UT (03.03.1999)'' – (2014) * ''Live Trax Vol. 41 Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA (03.13.99)'' – (2017) * ''Live Trax Vol. 48 The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA (08.25.94)'' – (2019) * ''Live Trax Vol. 49 Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY, (06.18.19)'' – (2019)

Singles

Guest singles

*^A "I What What" charted as an album cut in 2008 before being released as a single in 2009

Videography

Video albums

Collaborations

*"Eleanor" and "See Jane" (1994), off the

Shannon Worrell Shannon Worrell is a singer-songwriter based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Known for a series of critically acclaimed albums in the 1990s culminating with an appearance (as September 67) on the Lilith Fair tour and for collaborations with fellow ...

album ''Three Wishes'' *"Communication" and "Trouble and Strife" (1998), off the

album ''

'' *"Love Of My Life" (1999), off the

Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...

album ''

Supernatural (Santana album) ''Supernatural'' is the eighteenth studio album by American rock band Santana, released on June 15, 1999, on Arista Records. After Santana found themselves without a label in the mid-1990s, founding member and guitarist Carlos Santana began talks ...

'' *"My Antonia" (2000) off the Emmylou Harris studio album ''Red Dirt Girl'', where Dave duets with Emmylou on her composition *"For You" (2002) off the ''

We Were Soldiers ''We Were Soldiers'' is a 2002 war film written and directed by Randall Wallace and starring Mel Gibson. Based on the book ''We Were Soldiers Once… and Young'' (1992) by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L. Galloway, it ...

'' soundtrack with

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

*"Iwoya" (2002) off the

Angélique Kidjo Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo (; born July 14, 1960), known as Angélique Kidjo, is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. ...

album ''Black Ivory Soul'' *"Joyful Girl" (2002) off the

Soulive Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (Hammond B3 organ, bass keys, clavinet). Althoug ...

album ''Next'' *"Sing Along" (2003) off the

album '' The Complex'' with music video *"Tremendous Brunettes" (2005) off the

Mike Doughty Michael Ross Doughty ( ; born June 10, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and author. He founded the band Soul Coughing in 1992, and as of '' The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns'' (2016), has released 18 studio albums, live albums, and ...

album ''

Haughty Melodic ''Haughty Melodic'' is an album by Mike Doughty released on May 3, 2005. The album title is an anagram of the artist's fuller name; Michael Doughty. Doughty described the album as "a bunch of songs about yearning and redemption and happiness a ...

'' *"Love Is The Only Way" (2006) off the

Robert Randolph and the Family Band Robert Randolph and the Family Band is an American gospel band led by pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph (Robert Jermaine Randolph, born August 8, 1977, Irvington, New Jersey). NPR has described the band as one with an "irresistible rock 'n' ...

album ''

Colorblind Color blindness or color vision deficiency (CVD) is the decreased ability to see color or differences in color. It can impair tasks such as selecting ripe fruit, choosing clothing, and reading traffic lights. Color blindness may make some aca ...

'' *"Work It Out" produced by

DJ Nu-Mark Mark Potsic, better known by his stage name DJ Nu-Mark (born June 10, 1971), is an American hip hop producer and DJ. He is a member of Jurassic 5, as well as the owner of Hot Plate Records. He has collaborated with and produced for a variety of ar ...

(2006) off the

Jurassic 5 Jurassic 5 is an American alternative hip hop group formed in 1994 by rappers Charles Stewart (Chali 2na), Dante Givens (Akil), Courtenay Henderson (Soup aka Zaakir), Marc Stuart (Marc 7); and disc jockeys Mark Potsic (DJ Nu-Mark) and Lucas Macf ...

album ''

Feedback Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to ''feed back'' into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handled ...

'' *"Fat Man in the Bathtub" (2008) off the

Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving ...

album " Join the Band" *"I'm Alive" (2008) off the

Kenny Chesney Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Coun ...

album ''

Lucky Old Sun ''Lucky Old Sun'' is the twelfth studio album by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on October 14, 2008 as the first release for Blue Chair Records, Chesney's personal division of the BNA Records record label. The album ...

'' *"Mamma Boulet" (2008) off the Dave Grant album '' Bubbalon by Bass'' *"Caveman", "Sleep" & "Overdue" (2009) off the Danny Barnes album ''Pizza Box'' *"Tomorrow Never Knows" (2010), off the

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

album ''

The Imagine Project ''The Imagine Project'' is the forty-sixth and latest studio album by American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock released on June 22, 2010. Prominent guests include John Legend, India Arie, Seal, Dave Matthews, Jeff Beck, Chaka Khan, Tedeschi & Tr ...

'' *"You Should Know Me", "Oh, Bangladesh" & "And He Slayed Her" (2010) off the

Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to start a musical career ...

album ''

Funstyle ''Funstyle'' is the sixth album by Liz Phair, independently released on her official website on July 3, 2010. A CD version was released on October 19, 2010 on Rocket Science Records. It includes a bonus disc containing ten songs from her Girly-S ...

'' *"All the Same"(2011) off the

Vieux Farka Touré Boureima "Vieux" Farka Touré (born 1981) is a Malian singer and guitarist. He is the son of Malian musician Ali Farka Touré. Biography Touré was born in Niafunké, Mali in 1981 to Ali Farka Touré. Despite his father's discouragement and hi ...

album – The Secret *"

A Pirate Looks at Forty "A Pirate Looks at Forty" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was first released on his 1974 album ''A1A'' and "Presents to Send You" is the B-side of the single. Buffett wrote the song about Phillip C ...

" (2012) with Jack Johnson and

, off the live album ''

Jack Johnson and Friends – Best of Kokua Festival ''Jack Johnson and Friends – Best of Kokua Festival'' is a live album by singer-songwriter Jack Johnson released in Germany on April 13, 2012, and worldwide on April 17, 2012. All songs on the album were recorded live during the six years (200 ...

'' *"Walk of Shame" (2012) with

Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...

, off the comedy album ''

Blow Your Pants Off ''Blow Your Pants Off'' is the second album by the American actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon. It was released on June 12, 2012. It features guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, ...

'' *"Take Me to Tomorrow" (2013) off the

John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...

tribute album – The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver *"Forsaken Savior" (2013) off the

Gov't Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as ''Mule''. ...

album '' Shout!'' *"Sweetheart" (2018), off the

Sarah White Sarah White is a singer-songwriter based in Richmond, Virginia, whose music can be roughly characterized as folk or alt-country. Biography Sarah White was born in Warrenton, Virginia, and relocated as a child to Monroe County, West Virginia. Whe ...

album "High Flyer"

References

External links

*
The Warehouse: The Official Dave Matthews Band Fan Association
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Dave 1967 births Living people 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Alumni of St Stithians College American agnostics American humanitarians American male singers American pacifists Record producers from New York (state) American rock guitarists American male guitarists American rock singers American Quakers Dave Matthews Band members Grammy Award winners American LGBT rights activists Singers from Virginia Musicians from Charlottesville, Virginia People from Yorktown Heights, New York South African emigrants to the United States Guitarists from Virginia 20th-century American guitarists American people of South African descent White South African people