DMB 101: Meet Carter

Carter Beauford, drummer, is the eldest member of the Dave Matthews Band. He will turn 43 years old in November and he is the divorced father of one daughter, named Breanna. Dave Matthews approached Carter after seeing him perform at Miller’s, where Dave was employed as a bartender. Dave explained that he was putting together a team of musicians to play on a demo tape and asked if Carter would be interested. After listening to a tape Dave had prepared, Carter’s answer was yes.

Carter was already a seasoned musician at the time Dave approached him. He had played in numerous professional bands and had even hosted his own television show on the BET channel. In an interesting twist of fate, Carter played in a band with John D’Earth, who would later teach fellow DMB member Stefan Lessard music in high school. Son of a jazz trumpeter, it is rumored that Carter first played at the tender age of 3! By the time he was 9, Carter was playing in a jazz band.

He attended the Shenandoah Conservatory, which is in Winchester, Virginia. Despite his early musical inclinations, Carter decided to study education instead of music. Upon graduating, he taught at several schools throughout North Carolina and Virginia for nearly a decade. Fortunately for DMB fans, he decided to go back to his fist love and pursue his music career full-time. Some time later, he ended up playing with his band in Miller’s Bar. . .

In addition to playing the drums, Carter also provides backing vocals. When you listen closely, you can hear him harmonizing to Dave’s lead vocals in most of DMB’s songs. Some of the best live DMB songs feature an excellent solo by Carter. The proof is out there – if you haven’t heard “Halloween” from the “Recently” EP or “Say Goodbye” from the Warehouse 5 fan club CD, you are really missing out. Listen to his solos a couple times in a row, and you will begin to grasp the wonder that is Carter Beauford!

And… what about that grin! If there were a happiest-looking man alive contest, Carter would be on the cover! If you see DMB live, there’s nothing better than keeping an eye on Carter. He will make you smile every time you lay eyes on him. What can we attribute his wonderful countenance to other than we are witnessing a man experiencing the sheer joy of doing the thing he loves most in the world – making music with the best band in the world!

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