Biography

Dave Matthews Band, also known as DMB, is an American rock band that originated in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The band's music covers a wide range of topics including spirituality, love, sexuality, embracing life, fighting against racism, and making political and anti-war statements. The original members of the band were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and backing vocalist Carter Beauford, and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Violinist Boyd Tinsley joined shortly after the band's formation. Unfortunately, Moore passed away suddenly in August 2008 due to injuries from an ATV accident. Grammy Award-winner Jeff Coffin, previously a member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, took over as the band's saxophonist. In addition, Rashawn Ross and Tim Reynolds have become full-time touring members. The band's album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, released in 2009 as the first since Moore's death, reached number one on the Billboard 200. This marked the band's fifth consecutive number-one debut, placing them second only to Metallica in achieving such a feat. Their most recent album, Away from the World, came out in 2012 and also debuted at number one on the Billboard chart. As of 2010, the Dave Matthews Band has sold an estimated 30 to 40 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music acts.