Dave Matthews is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. He is most famous as the vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for the Virginia-based rock band, the Dave Matthews Band.
As of May 2020, the 53-year-old Grammy Award-winning musician is worth $300 million. Here is how he made his wealth:
How Dave Matthews Made his Wealth: Net Worth & Salary Breakdown
His Career in Music and Acting
Dave Matthews is most known as the impetus behind the rock band, the Dave Matthews Band. Formed in early 1991 by Matthews, who recruited the musicians LeRoi Moore, Stefan Lessard, Carter Beauford, Peter Griesar, and Boyd Tinsley.
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Source: The Commercial Appeal
Their debut studio album under a major label was 1994’s Under the Table and Dreaming. The album was certified platinum six times by the RIAA.
Their 1996 sophomore album, Crash, was an even bigger critical and commercial success — being certified Platinum seven times and landing the band Grammy Award nominations. A single off the album “So Much to Say“, won them their first Grammy Award.
To date, the band has released seven additional studio albums and been nominated for fourteen Grammy Awards.
The band has also toured extensively since 2000 and it is estimated that in the ensuing decade, they made over $500 million by touring alone. They were also reportedly making $200,000 per day in merchandise sales during their 1998 tours.
As a solo artist, Matthews released the album, Some Devil, in 2003, and a track off of the album titled “Gravedigger” won him a Grammy Award in 2004.
Throughout the years, he has also collaborated with musicians like Béla Fleck, Emmylou Harris, and The Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger.
Matthews’ widespread popularity translated to the acting screens. He has appeared alongside Adam Sandler in the movie You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. He also played Patrick Obyedkov in a 2007 episode of the medical drama, House, starring Hugh Laurie.
Real Estate
Matthews has also dabbled in real estate and is supposedly one of the largest private landowners in all of Virginia. He is also the proprietor of Blenheim Vineyards — an 18th century 9,350-acre farm in Piedmont, Virginia, turned into a winery.
Originally bought by Matthews in 1999 to preserve its historical significance, it is now used as a vineyard. The winery is one of the largest in Virginia and produces some 5,500 cases of wine annually, including their signature Petit Verdot and other special edition wines featuring artwork by Matthews himself.
Early Life and Childhood
Dave Matthews was born David John Matthews on January 9, 1967, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The third of four children born to physicist John Matthews and his wife Val Matthews, David, and his family relocated to Westchester County, New York when his father was offered a job at IBM.
Dave himself worked briefly for IBM in 1986 before settling in his family’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Murder-Suicide of Sister, Anne Matthews
On January 27, 1994, Dave Matthew’s elder sister, Anne Matthews, was the victim of a murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband.
The tragedy formed the basis of many of the Dave Matthew Band‘s songs. After Anne’s two children were left orphaned by the tragedy, Dave and his younger sister, Jane, took over caring for them.
Marriage and Children
Dave Matthews has been married since August 10, 2000, to his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Ashley Harper.
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Source: Pinterest
On August 15, 2001, Matthews became a father for the first time when his wife, Jennifer, gave birth to twin daughters, Stella Busina and Grace Anne.
Matthews became a father once again when Jennifer gave birth to their son, August Oliver Matthews, on June 19, 2007.
