Dave Matthews Band Details
With the support of a dedicated fan base built by country-spanning tours, the Dave Matthews Band established itself as the jam band of a new generation in the 1990s. It all started in 1991, when drummer Carter Beauford, saxophonist LeRoi Moore, bassist Stefan Leonard and, of course, Dave himself formed the band in Charlottesville, Virginia. From there, it didn’t take long for DMB to find success. They made their name as a touring band, relentlessly traveling to reach the young audiences that can so often propel a band to superstardom. And that’s exactly what the Dave Matthews Band’s fan base did. After signing with RCA in 1994, the band released its major-label debut Under the Table and Dreaming in September of that year. It went platinum within months, with “What Would You Say” remaining the band’s highest-charting hit to this day.
Things didn’t slow down for DMB from there—if anything, the band escalated its efforts to hit the road and play shows. As they grew, so did the success of their studio albums. After Under the Table hit No. 11 on the US charts and follow-up Crash hit No. 2, the Dave Matthews Band ripped off a record streak of six consecutive studio albums to hit No. 1. The most recent, 2012’s Away from the World, maintained the band’s signature sound while offering thoughtful commentary on themes of isolation and loneliness. Naturally, DMB’s acclaimed concerts have translated well into a series of over a dozen live albums, three of which have charted in the U.S. Top 10.