Dave Matthews

	Born
	January 9, 1967 in Johannesburg, South Africa
	Active Decades
	19001020304050607080902000

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

South African vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews formed The Dave Matthews Band in Virginia in the early '90s. Featuring Matthews, Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, and Carter Beauford, the group's music presents a more pop-oriented version of The Grateful Dead crossed with the worldbeat explorations of Paul Simon and Sting. The band built up a strong word-of-mouth following in the early '90s by touring the country constantly, concentrating on college campuses. In addition to amassing a sizable following, their self-released album Remember Two Things sold well for an independent release; soon, they were attracting the attention of majors. Signing with RCA, The Dave Matthews Band released their major-label debut, Under The Table And Dreaming, in the fall of 1994. By spring of 1995, the record had launched the hit single "What Would You Say" and sold over a million copies.

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