Tim Reynolds
With a career spanning more than forty years, two-time Grammy nominee and sonic innovator Tim Reynolds is best known for his seemingly effortless guitar virtuosity, his masterful command of melody and timing, and for his uncanny ability to improvise on any instrument he touches. Having explored almost every musical style, from rock, jazz, and blues to classical and reggae, Tim’s wide-ranging talent is evident each time he picks up his acoustic or electric guitar. Technically brilliant, yet emotionally honest, Reynolds’ music is inspired, authentic, and unparalleled.
Born 15 December 1957 in Wiesbaden, Germany, to devoutly religious military parents, Reynolds had a peripatetic childhood, moving from Alaska and throughout much of the Bible-belt Midwest, eventually settling in St. Louis, MO. He started playing the piano at the age of eight, but quickly progressed to the acoustic guitar and electric bass guitar in the local church gospel band during his teens. (During this time, he was also secretly experimenting and riffing with forbidden rock, funk, and soul). After high school, Reynolds left the constraints of his conservative upbringing and settled in Charlottesville, VA, where he added psychedelic and progressive rock to his burgeoning musical repertoire.
During the mid-1980s, Reynolds founded his breakthrough electric power trio, TR3, known for their fusion of funk, rock, and jazz. He toured extensively with TR3, using a rotating cast of musicians during the 1980s and 1990s. It was also at this time that he met and befriended Dave Matthews and their ongoing musical collaboration began. However, Tim always stayed true to his first love – the acoustic guitar. He spent the 1990s and 2000s as a road warrior – an acoustic guitar wizard playing to sold-out crowds who quickly determined that Reynolds was one of the most talented and thoughtful musicians on the circuit. From the widely-acclaimed Stream to his most recent solo masterpiece, That Way (2017), Tim’s acoustic prowess and his genius for improvisation continue to burn hot.
In 2007, after a chance meeting with two talented musicians, bassist Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier, a few rehearsals later, and several stealth appearances throughout North Carolina, Tim resurrected the electric TR3 to widespread delight. TR3 continues to tour and release critically-acclaimed live and studio albums, including their most recent opus, The Sea Versus the Mountain (2019).
Although the pandemic halted Tim’s busy schedule as lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band, it gave him the gift of time and space to create new music, explore new technology, dig deep into his vault, and reconnect and collaborate with old friends. He released his first digital download, the ethereal Venus Transit (July 2020) along with a goldmine of mostly original music videos on his YouTube page, including a few covers such as his interpretation of Bach’s Cello Suite in G and Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.” Tim had a great time collaborating with his long-time friend and fellow musician, Mike Sokolowski, on their upcoming album, Soul Pilgrimage dropping this August. Tim’s excited to get back on the road doing what he loves – from surprising fans nationwide with his rare solo performances, melting faces with TR3, and touring with DMB. According to Tim, “It’s all good when I have my guitars by my side.”