Carter Beauford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carter Beauford
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Beauford performing in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carter Anthony Beauford |
| Born | November 2, 1958 Charlottesville, Virginia, United States |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | RCA |
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Carter Anthony Beauford (born November 2, 1958) is an American drummer and percussionist. He is one of the founding members of the famous band Dave Matthews Band. Carter is known for being able to play many different types of music. He is also famous for using both hands equally well (this is called ambidextrous) and for his special "open-handed" drumming style. He plays the drums and sings backing vocals for the band. In 2010, readers of Rolling Stone magazine voted him as one of the top 10 greatest drummers of all time.
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Early Life and Drumming Style
Carter Beauford first saw drums when he was just three years old. His father took him to a concert to see the famous drummer Buddy Rich. Young Carter was amazed by Buddy Rich's performance on stage. After the show, Carter's father bought him a small tin drum set because he was so interested in learning. Carter started playing drums professionally when he was only nine years old.
Beauford has a very unique way of playing the drums. He explained it in his video "Under The Table & Drumming." When he was a child, he would play his drum set in front of a mirror. He wanted to copy his favorite drummers, like Buddy Rich. But he accidentally set up his drums backward compared to how they looked in the mirror. This made him learn to use both his left and right hands equally well from a very young age. This skill is called being ambidextrous.
Joining the Band
Later, Carter joined a band called Secrets. This band played jazz fusion, which is a mix of jazz and rock music. Other members included his childhood friend, saxophonist LeRoi Moore, and guitarist Tim Reynolds. Secrets played in many places in Virginia, including a bar called Miller's in Charlottesville. This was the same bar where Dave Matthews worked as a bartender.
Carter also played jazz music in another band called Blue Indigo. This band often performed at Tokyo Rose and Miller's. One day, Dave Matthews asked Carter and LeRoi Moore if they would help him record some music he had written. Carter agreed to play on the demo recording. This is how he became involved with the group that would later become the famous Dave Matthews Band.
Other Music Projects
Besides playing with the Dave Matthews Band, Carter Beauford has also worked with many other musicians. He has joined in "jam sessions" (where musicians play together without much planning) with artists like Vertical Horizon, Carlos Santana, John Popper from Blues Traveler, Tim Reynolds, Béla Fleck, and Victor Wooten. He has played with some of these artists on his own and also with the band Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Awards and Recognition
Carter Beauford has won several awards for his drumming skills:
- Modern Drummer Readers Poll 2003 – Best Pop Drummer
- Modern Drummer Readers Poll 2003 – Best Recorded Performance: Dave Matthews Band: Live at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
See also
In Spanish: Carter Beauford para niños
