Boyd Tinsley, a violinist with rigorous classical training, spent his childhood in Charlottesville, VA, and now performs as a full-time member of the Dave Matthews Band. Though his early focus was guitar, he uncovered an aptitude for violin during a middle-school strings course, which led him to train with Isadore Saslav, concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony. At sixteen he abandoned any notion of becoming a classical virtuoso and instead began exploring other musical directions. After two unsuccessful solo projects, he was invited in 1991 to record a demo with the Dave Matthews Band, then still on the verge of major success, and he formally joined the lineup the next year. In 2003 he stated his intention to release a solo album someday, yet he continues to take pleasure in his dual roles as a model and violinist for one of the world’s most popular groups.
