| Dave Matthews |
Matthews at Virginia Tech in 2007 |
| Background information |
| Birth name |
David John Matthews |
| Born |
(1967-01-09) January 9, 1967 (age 45)
Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa |
| Origin |
Charlottesville, Virginia, US |
| Genres |
Rock, alternative rock, blues rock, roots rock, adult contemporary music |
| Occupations |
Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments |
Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active |
1989–present |
| Labels |
RCA, Sony BMG |
| Associated acts |
Tribe of Heaven, Dave Matthews Band, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Dave Matthews & Friends |
| Website |
DaveMatthewsBand.com |
| Notable instruments |
Taylor Acoustic Guitars
Martin Acoustic Guitars
Gibson Acoustic Guitars
Lakewood Guitars |
David John "Dave" Matthews (born January 9, 1967)[1] is a South African-American musician and actor,[2] best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band. He performs mainly with acoustic guitar and favors rhythm rather than solos in his playing.
David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the third of four children of parents John and Valerie Matthews. At two years old, Matthews' family moved to Yorktown Heights in Westchester County, New York, where his father, a physicist, started working for IBM.[3]
In 1974, the family moved to Cambridge, England, for a year before returning to New York, where his father died from lung cancer in 1977. Biographer Nevin Martell argues that Dave's father's death may be an impetus for his "carpe diem" lyrics.[4] At some point while residing in New York, Matthews attended his first concert, when his mother took him to a performance by Pete Seeger.[5] The family moved back to Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1977.[6]
Upon Matthews' graduation from St Stithians College high school in 1985, he was faced with conscription into the South African military just as civil disobedience to the practice was becoming widespread.[7] A Quaker (and consequently pacifist), Matthews left South Africa to avoid service.[8]
Matthews moved to New York in 1986 where he worked for IBM for a short time,[6] then joined his mother in Charlottesville, Virginia, the same year, a town Matthews' family had lived in before he was born.[6] In Charlottesville, he became part of the local music community.[8] Pursuing various interests, Matthews acted in various local productions.[citation needed] Although Matthews had started playing the guitar at the age of 9, it was only in Charlottesville that he started performing publicly.[6] From time to time, local star (and future collaborator) Tim Reynolds had Dave join him on stage and another friend, Ross Hoffman, persuaded Matthews to record some of his own songs.[6][9] This led to his first professional musical gig at a modern dance performance by the Miki Liszt Dance Company, based at McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville, singing "Meaningful Love", composed by John D'earth and Dawn Thompson.[10] In 1991, he hatched the idea to form his own band.[6]
Dave had originally envisioned someone else singing his songs but decided to use his own vocals.[citation needed] After writing his first few songs, including "I'll Back You Up", "The Song that Jane Likes" and "Recently", he began to consider starting his own band.[citation needed] Matthews formed Dave Matthews Band in early 1991 with LeRoi Moore, Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Peter Griesar (who left the band in 1993), and Boyd Tinsley while working at Miller's. The band's first show was on March 14, 1991, as part of a benefit for the Middle East Children's Alliance at Trax Nightclub in Charlottesville.[11]
In 1994, Matthews' older sister, Anne, who lived in South Africa, was murdered by her husband, who subsequently committed suicide, on or around January 27 of that year.[12] The event had a drastic effect on Matthews' outlook on life and was referenced in a few of his songs (such as "Shotgun").[13] On January 29, 1994, he performed with Tim Reynolds at The Wetlands in New York where he dedicated that performance "to her memory". Dave Matthews Band's Under the Table and Dreaming, released later that year, was dedicated to her.[12] Anne Matthews was survived by her two children who, upon her death, traveled to America, where Dave and his younger sister Jane took responsibility for their upbringing (his sister is the namesake of DMB's song, "The Song that Jane Likes.").[12]
Matthews and
Tim Reynolds in an acoustic show in Amherst, MA 2007
Dave focused primarily on his work with Dave Matthews Band from 1990 to 2003. 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's second album The Complex in 2003.[14] Later that year he released a solo album, "Some Devil", which went platinum; its single, "Gravedigger", won a Grammy Award in 2004.[15] To support the album, Matthews toured with a group of musicians (most of whom performed on "Some Devil") under the name Dave Matthews & Friends.[16]
Dave is also a close friend of Béla Fleck.[citation needed] Matthews appears as a guest vocalist on Béla Fleck and the Flecktones' 1998 release Left of Cool and both Fleck and Flecktones bassist Victor Wooten have made numerous appearances both live and studio with DMB (e.g. Wooten soloed in the second part of The Maker, and also in #41 on the 1998 live album Live in Chicago). The Flecktones also opened for DMB on several tours.[17] Matthews performed a duet with Emmylou Harris on "My Antonia" on her 2000 album, Red Dirt Girl.[18] They also appeared together on the musical television show CMT Crossroads,[19] where the two performed Matthews' "Gravedigger" and the folk song "Long Black Veil".[citation needed]
Matthews performed a cover of Neil Young's song, "The Needle and the Damage Done" at the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Young on January 29, 2010. Matthews also joined The Rolling Stones on their Bridges to Babylon Tour-1997-1998, and sang "Wild Horses", and "Memory Motel" alongside vocalist Mick Jagger after The Dave Matthews Band opened for the Rolling Stones.
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[citation needed] 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 Sicher.[20] He played Will Coleman in the 2003 adaptation of the novel Where the Red Fern Grows.[21] In 2005 he played in Because of Winn-Dixie 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, where he plays a homosexual salesman.[22] In 2008, he appeared in another Adam Sandler movie, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, as a racist redneck character named James.[23] He also had a significant role in Lake City with Sissy Spacek and Troy Garity, in which he portrays the character "Red."[24] He was also in three 2011 movies, The Other Side with Giovanni Ribisi and Jason Lee, In The Woods, starring Debra Winger and Terrence Howard, and the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It. He was also in Deuce Bigalow.
In 2007, Matthews guest starred in the Fox drama series House in the episode "Half-Wit". He played a piano-playing musical savant who ended up having half of his brain removed 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.[25] In the Season One episode of "House" -"Love Hurts"- the song "Some Devil" can be heard playing at the end. In another episode, one of the tracks from Stand Up, "You Might Die Trying" was played ("House M.D", Season Five, "Not Cancer").[26]
The fifth time Matthews appeared as musical guest on Saturday Night Live in November 2009 (which was also the fourth time the Dave Matthews Band appeared on the show), he made an appearance as Ozzy Osbourne in a skit called "The Mellow Show." Bill Hader impersonated Matthews in the same skit. With 5 official guest appearances on SNL, Matthews is officially a member of the "Five-Timers Club".
Matthews was also a cast member and performer in the popular music documentary Before the Music Dies.[27]
In 2011, Matthews collaborated with wine maker Steve Reeder in creating the Dreaming Tree Wines.[28][29][30]
In April 2012, Matthews was credited as producer on a major documentary, "Last Call at the Oasis", directed by Jessica Yu. Ref: "ATO Pictures to Distribute Must-See Doc ‘Last Call at the Oasis’". http://blog.documentarychannel.com/post/10519205084/ato-pictures-to-distribute-must-see-doc-last-call-at.
Dave Matthews married longtime partner Jennifer Ashley Harper in 2000. The couple has twin daughters, Stella Busina and Grace Anne, born on August 15, 2001, and a son, August Oliver, born on June 19, 2007. They reside in Seattle, Washington.[31] In a 2001 interview, Matthews stated that he was agnostic.[32]
In 2000 Reuters reported that a cancer hoax chain letter was being circulated online that promised that anyone who forwarded the chain letter would be rewarded by being sent Matthews's AOL screen name.[33]
Matthews published an Internet video prior to the 2000 U.S. Presidential election, urging viewers to vote without advocating any candidate. He mentioned only Ralph Nader by name, and updated fans about the recording sessions for Everyday. 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, performing at political events including the Vote for Change tour.
Matthews also supported Barack Obama for President in 2008, both in the primaries and in the general election.[34] On April 6, 2008, he and Tim Reynolds played a concert titled "Change Rocks"[35] at Indiana University to encourage students to register to vote. The tickets were distributed by the Obama campaign.[36] 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."[37] Even though he was recently bereaved by the loss of band co-founder and saxophonist, LeRoi Moore on August 19, 2008, he and Tim Reynolds played for the Democratic National Convention delegates on Sunday, August 24 at Red Rocks,[38] and again with Reynolds at the Virginia Commonwealth University, on October 26, 2008,[39] among other places. Matthews has often supported environmental initiatives, such as biofuel availability and the fight against global climate change.[citation needed]
On September 21, 2009, Matthews stated that some of President Barack Obama's harsher critics were motivated by his race, and stated that he "sees it [racism] everywhere" in the United States.[40]
Matthews is also a strong supporter of Gay Rights and participated in "Love Unites Shepard Fairey Equality Project", a gay marriage advocacy project.[41]
On May 10th, 2012, Matthews entertained a sellout crowd at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington, where President Obama was hosting a campaign fundraiser.
Matthews performing in 2009
- Past Equipment
- Present Equipment
- Rockbridge SJ Sunburst Acoustic Guitar (used in 2011)
(Spring/Summer 2009 DMB Tour & Summer/Fall 2010 DMB Tour)
- Taylor 914c 6-String Acoustic Guitar w/Venetian Cutaway (standard guitar used for all songs not listed below)[42]
- Taylor 914c 6-String Acoustic Guitar w/Florentine Cutaway (Drop D Tuning) (Don't Drink The Water, Bartender, Crush, Shake Me Like A Monkey, Seven, Break Free)[42]
- Taylor GA7 (Beach Ball, You Never Know, Sister, Oh, Write A Song)
- Gibson Custom Sunburst Acoustic (Raised B Tuning, Lying In The Hands of God, Stay or Leave)
- Taylor W65 12-string (Grey Street, Raven, Bartender, Sweet Up and Down, Kit Kat Jam, JTR, The Last Stop, Big Eyed Fish, Monkey Man)
- Jerry Jones Original Single-cutaway Baritone (Smooth Rider, Louisiana Bayou, What You Are, So Right, Break Free, Some Devil, Kill the King)
- Veillette Gryphon (Shotgun, Squirm, Baby Blue, Idea of You, Falling Of The Roof)
- National ResoLectric (Alligator Pie)
- Fender custom Stratocaster (Why I Am)
- Dunlop Tortex .6 mm Guitar Picks
- D'Addario EXP17 Strings (6-String)
- D'Addario EJ39 Strings (12-String)
- Matchless DC-30 Amplifier[42]
- Shure UHF Wireless System[42]
- A "I'm Alive" charted as an album cut in 2008 before being released as a single in 2009
- Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture – "Where Are You Going" (for Mr. Deeds)
- Dave Matthews was awarded D.M.A. honoris causa by Haverford College on May 15, 2005; see here for his commencement speech.[44]
- 2002: Orville Gibson Award for Best Acoustic Guitarist
- ^ http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/driven/74427/episode_about.jhtml
- ^ Tavis Smiley on PBS [1][dead link]
- ^ Nevin Martell, The Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 3–4
- ^ Nevin Martell, The Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 5
- ^ Gardner, Elysa. "Jconline - Postcard from the road: Pete Seeger's all-star hootenanny". Content.usatoday.net. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=jconline&sParam=34946928.story. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
- ^ a b c d e f New York Times (May 31, 1998)
- ^ At Ease, ECC newsletter, May 1986, cited in Jacklyn Cock, Colonels & Cadres – War & Gender in South Africa, Oxford University Press, 1991, pg81
- ^ a b Whitefield, Fredricka (2005). "Profiles of U2 and The Dave Matthews Band" CNN.com (accessed May 3, 2006)
- ^ "Driven: Dave Matthews – About the Episode" VH1.com (accessed May 4, 2006)
- ^ nancies.org
- ^ "03.14.1991 Trax Nightclub Charlottesville, Virginia (Middle East Children's Alliance benefit)". DMBAlmanac.com. http://dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.aspx?id=453056860&tid=65&where=1991. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c [2] Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People – Retrieved on February 8, 2008.
- ^ [3] Time Pacific Magazine – "And the band plays on..." Retrieved on September 15, 2007.
- ^ "Blue Man FAQs". Blue Man Productions. http://www.blueman.com/about/faqs. Retrieved March 6, 2009. ""Sing Along," a track from The Complex, featuring Dave Matthews on vocals, is Blue Man Group’s first music video."
- ^ "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
- ^ "Dave Matthews links up with Trey Anastasio, others for winter tour". Live Daily. October 7, 2003. http://www.livedaily.com/news/5583.html. Retrieved March 6, 2009. "Joining Matthews on the outing are Trey Anastasio, Brady Blade, Tony Hall, Ray Paczkowski and Tim Reynolds.... Late last month, Matthews released 'Some Devil,' his first solo set. Anastasio, Hall and Blade all appear on the album."
- ^ Nino, Matias and Bokon, Rob. "Béla Fleck and the Flecktones". DMBAlmanac.com. http://www.dmbalmanac.com/GuestStats.aspx?gid=232.
- ^ Harris, Emmylou. "Red Dirt Girl". http://www.emmylou.net/reddirtgirl.html. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
- ^ "Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris". Country Music Television, Inc.. http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/cmt_crossroads/77097/episode_about.jhtml. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
- ^ The Dave Matthews Band (Book). http://books.google.com/books?id=HaholVU6jUcC&pg=PT25&lpg=PT25&dq=%22OffStage+Theater%22+Quinn&source=bl&ots=bxQJYRj5QZ&sig=dlyDFYgHqyNZUMgYRk-WUtGoets&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPT24,M1. Retrieved November 2008.
- ^ "Where the Red Fern Grows". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192788/. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762107/. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ "You Don't Mess with the Zohan". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960144/. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ "Lake City". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0875705/. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ "Inside House: Hugh Laurie and Dave Matthews Play Piano". http://www.truveo.com/House-House-Plays-The-Piano-WIth-Dave-Matthews/id/2336433882.
- ^ ""House M.D." Half-Wit". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942528/. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0760307/
- ^ "Unfiltered: Dave Matthews' Wine Dream". Wine Spectator. October 20, 2011. http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/45850. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
- ^ "Wine Taste Test: How Do Dave Matthews, Banana Republic And More Branded Wines Stack Up?". Huffington Post. October 26, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/wine-taste-test_n_1022810.html#s423709&title=Dave_Matthews_Dreaming. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
- ^ "Alcohol: Dave Matthews Wine?". Zimbio. February 1, 2012. http://www.zimbio.com/Dave+Matthews/articles/6ddk1HSz6Mg/Alcohol+Dave+Matthews+Wine. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
- ^ The Official Dave Matthews Band Website :: News
- ^ Boston Globe Article 'Dave Jorge Matthews Gets Serious – and Playful' by Steve Morse (March 4, 2001)
- ^ "American Cancer Society Hoax". Snopes.com. December 31, 2009. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/cancer.asp. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
- ^ Bates, Eric (April 17, 2008). "Dave Matthews Speaks Out for Barack Obama". RollingStone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/20093048/dave_matthews_speaks_out_for_barack_obama?source=music_news_rssfeed. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- ^ Matthews, Dave; Reynolds, Tim (April 2, 2008). "Change Rocks: Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds to Perform Special Show in Support of Barack Obama". Presented by Indiana University Union Board. Official Dave Matthews Website. http://www.davematthewsband.com/news/view/7609326981d081ac5a758b04ad0b30fd. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
- ^ "Dave Matthews at Indiana University". my.barackobama.com. 2008-04-06. http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/indavematthews. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
- ^ Dave Matthews for Obama
- ^ [4][dead link]
- ^ Matthews, Dave; Reynolds, Tim (October 26, 2008). "Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds at Virginia Commonwealth University". Democratic National Committee. http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/vadavematthews. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
- ^ "U.S. racism 'everywhere,' says Dave Matthews - CNN.com". CNN. September 21, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/21/qa.dave.matthews/index.html. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ Eddins, Andrew. "Voice for Equality: Dave Matthews". http://straighttalkonmarriage.blogspot.com/2009/12/voice-for-equality-dave-matthews.html. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Gear". Dave Matthews Band. http://road.davematthewsband.com/bandgear.html. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 577. ISBN 0-89820-188-8.
- ^ Haverford College News
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Matthews, David John |
| Alternative names |
Dave Matthews |
| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
January 9, 1968 |
| Place of birth |
Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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