Tim Reynolds
A guitarist's guitarist whose virtuosic, eclectic solo work forms the intricate musical counterpart to Dave Matthews's anthemic songcraft.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American musician·Birthday: December 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tim Reynolds is a musician defined by restless curiosity and staggering technical ability. Long before he became a fixture on stadium stages with the Dave Matthews Band, he was a cult figure, a solo acoustic performer who could make one guitar sound like an orchestra, weaving together flamenco, rock, jazz, and classical influences. His partnership with Dave Matthews began in small Charlottesville bars, a symbiotic musical dialogue that would eventually scale up to become one of the most successful touring acts in history. On stage with DMB, Reynolds provides more than guitar solos; he is a textural architect, adding layers of complexity and spontaneous exploration that keep the band's expansive jams fresh night after night. His parallel career with his own power trio, TR3, showcases a rawer, funk-driven side, proving his artistry exists far beyond the shadow of the main stage.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tim was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has been the lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band since becoming a full touring member in 2008, featured on multiple live and studio albums.
- Released numerous solo and collaborative albums, notably the intimate 'Live at Luther College' acoustic set with Dave Matthews.
- Leads the electric power trio TR3, which explores funk, rock, and psychedelic music distinct from his work with DMB.
Did You Know?
He is a devout practitioner of Siddha Yoga meditation.
Reynolds is largely self-taught on guitar and a wide array of other instruments.
He lived in a converted school bus while touring and recording in the early part of his career.
Before fame, he worked as a cook and a telemarketer to support his music.
“Music is the healing force of the universe. I really believe that.”
