Multi-instrumentalist Tim Reynolds began his career playing with Dave Matthews in local bars in Virginia. Since then, he has become a critically acclaimed artist, both with solo work and performing in his band, TR3.
Tim Reynolds was born in Germany to a military family. He grew up with Christian music in his home, and his sister introduced him to the Beatles and other secular pop music.
By his teen years, he was playing guitar and electric bass. He started out by accompanying his church choir in the Midwest, but quickly moved on to learning blues, rock and funk riffs. He later moved to Virginia, where he was exposed to jazz and experimental musicians, who further broadened his horizons.
In the late '80s, Reynolds met Dave Matthews, who was then working as a bartender. He started jamming with Matthews and moved on to play acoustic sets with him. When Matthews formed the Dave Matthews Band, Reynolds was his guitarist, and he played with the band from 1993 to 2012.
Along the way, he formed a project of his own called the Tim Reynolds 3, or TR3. While TR3 and Reynolds' solo work have been nowhere near as prolific as the Dave Matthews Band's body of work, Reynolds has earned critical acclaim for his unusual, varied style and his musical skill. Tim Reynolds tours semi-regularly with his own band, and he still performs with his friend Dave Matthews.
One of the key things that differentiates Tim Reynolds, TR3 and the Dave Matthews Band from other performers is their attitude toward live taping. They attempt to make each performance different, and because of that they say that fans recording their performances in no way detracts from the enjoyment of subsequent performances. Fans enthusiastically trade recordings of Tim Reynolds' performances, and this warm, open attitude toward fan tapes has in no way made Dave Matthews or Tim Reynolds tickets less of a hot commodity.
Reynolds has performed to support various causes over the years. In 2008 he performed on the album Songs for Tibet to benefit the Tibetan government in exile, support the Dalai Lama and bring attention to the Tibetan situation. In 2009 he performed with Dave Matthews in a benefit for Farm Aid in St. Louis.
In 2010, Tim Reynolds was nominated for a Grammy for his work with Dave Matthews on the song Kundalini Bonfire on their album Live in Las Vegas. This song drew the attention of music critics and industry experts for its expert, vigorous sitar stylings, psychedelic feel and textured percussion.
Fans of Tim Reynolds' might also enjoy the Dave Matthews Band and Phish.