Butch Taylor, long time guest member and keyboardist for The Dave Matthews Band as photographed in October 26, 2007 by his cousin and professional photographer Taylor Richards Glenn.
This morning I got an email from my favorite Dave Matthews Band fan site with the very sad news that longtime ‘guest’ member and keyboardist Butch Taylor just left the band. Here’s the story on WeeklyDaveSpeak.com titled “After 10 years of Touring, Butch Taylor Calls it Quits“. As long time Dave fans, Shannon and I have always been perplexed as to why Butch wasn’t given full band status given the inclusive nature of the band. It seems just as hard to see him leave as it would if Stefan or another member were to go. Shudder to think.
Speculation I’ve read is that he was just really tired of being on the road and wanted to be home with his family back in DMB home town Charlottesville Virginia. Funny enough, my search for more news on Butch landed me on acclaimed T.V. interviewer Charlie Rose’s web site. There I found a ‘Butch Taylor’ tagged video that was actually a one hour video special on the entire band, their music and history. I have NO IDEA how I missed this Charlie Rose special. About two thirds of the way through the special they introduce Butch and strangely enough (or not) the one thing they show Butch talking about is how difficult being on the road is and how he missed his family. Not surprisingly all the band quickly agreed with Butch but it still struck me as pretty interesting given that he made the comment seven years ago.
I’ve embedded the Charlie Rose special below and even if you’re not a huge Dave head I think anyone interested even vaguely in music would find it very interesting. There’s much to see here in terms of their highly varied musical heroes, the eclectic mix of music styles, backgrounds and personalities that are just as far ranging.
Whether you know me or not I’m here to say that only my family is more important in my life than music and no other band is more important to me or Shannon than the Dave Matthews Band. I am truly saddened that when Shannon and I see them this summer for the umpteenth time Butch won’t be playing with them. We can only hope that he’ll soon miss his band mates and that his family will understand his desire to be with them again.
Butch we will miss you and we wish you peace, happiness and our sincerest gratitude for what you’ve brought to your band’s music, the songs, the fills, the leads, the solos, the rhythm and some serious pearly sparkle. You were lucky to be with Dave and Company and they were lucky to have you. And to your family, thank you so much for sharing him with us for all those years.
11 comments ↓
Thank you so much for sharing this video. We had not seen this orginally aired either. Going to see the show in St. Louis at Busch Stadium this weekend – First show at the new stadium. Definitely sad that Butch will not be there, however ver glad that Tim Reynolds is along for the ride this summer!
Hi Century, have a great time at the show this weekend and say “Hi!” to Dave and the guys for us. We’ll see him on back-to-back nights when he comes to West Palm Beach later this summer – an annual tradition. I’m really excited to see Tim Reynolds on this tour as I missed the two other occasions he toured with the band. Peace!
Julian: Thanks for sharing this video, I too had never seen it. Would love to see Charlie Rose do a follow up this year. My wife and I traveled down to Saratoga Springs from Montreal to see DMB this past weekend – great show. First time we’ve seen him at that venue and it was unbelievable. They played for three hours and the set was incredible. Enjoy the concerts in Florida.
[...] was strange without Butch Taylor playing piano and keyboards and even more so without sax player LeRoi Moore, who is out for the [...]
i can’t help but think that years upon years of him not being asked to be a member of the band and share in more of the HUGE profits they all reap as *true* members of DMB had to play into this decision at some point as well.
that said, just saw the band at mile high and they sounded freaking great. jeff coffin is the freaking man, and i enjoyed not having butch fill on keys… it makes the rest of the band have to play out a bit more, imo… and i didn’t get into DMB some 15 years ago because of keys.
and while i love leroi…
jeff coffin blows him out of the water (pardon the pun) in all aspects *except* leroi’s intricate knowledge of the songs.
jeff had the band on their toes from what i could tell, and it really improved their jams. i can’t wait to have leroi back… but he can take all the time he needs, imo.
I totally agree, I always wondered how Butch felt hiring out his own bus and getting only a fraction of what the Band brought in (and all while knowing that they are overpaid). It’s food for thought for sure. I think the bigger blow this year is having Roi out. I’m hopeful he’ll heal and be back on the stage soon! Thanks for posting the video, it was nice and good luck w/ your car!
Boyd, Jeff was really amazing. But I still want Roi back.
And what you said about Butch, I understand that side of things as well. He isn’t what made the band and he wasn’t an original member. But neither were Boyd or Stefan – Dave has said that he always goes back in his head to the core of the band being him, LeRoi and Carter. That’s not taking anything away from Stefan and Boyd. They are intricately woven into the success and fabric of the band we all know and love as DMB.
At some point though you cross over into being part of the band and for me I think Butch got there. Obviously that wasn’t true for the main five guys and that’s a truth I can’t ignore.
I bet they enjoyed their time together though and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them all back together again. Or for that matter, someone totally new joining the band. Something has to keep those guys going.
I wonder with fate if perhaps Roi got hurt because he needed a break. And perhaps they all needed some fresh air – the kind that LeRoi’s accident created. The energy in their playing with Jeff and with Tim Reynolds certainly suggests that they’re benefiting from the change (despite Roi’s misfortune). Let’s just hope Roi heals fully and gets back so they can all make amazing music again together.
I have never seen this interview…thank you so much for sharing. As for Butch Id rather not continue the speculation but hope to think it truely was his decision and missed his family as I’m sure \they all do. What a great way to make a buck by being part of the DMB something magical.
I, too have wondered what the deal is with Butch being a part of the band. I knew him as a little kid in his hometown, so I have followed his career with interest. Thanks for the update and the interview, Julian.
Just heard DMB for the first time without Butch. I must say they did not sound the same without him and sounded just like another rock and roll band. Butch gave DMB the sound they were noted for. Hate to say it but the concert I saw stunk. To bad the band is not the DMB I use to know
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