Carter Anthony Beauford
Carter, born November 2, 1957 in Charlottesville, Virginia,is a drummer, percussionist, and founding member of Dave Matthews Band. He plays with an open hand drumming style, where his left hand leads on the hi-hat and ride cymbal in a conventional right-handed drumset set-up. He plays the drums and sings back-up vocals for the band.
Carter was first exposed to drumming at the age of three when his father took him to a Buddy Rich concert. Afterward, since Carter showed interest his father bought him a tin drum set with paper heads. At the age of nine he started performing professionally. He earned a degree in music from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music, in Winchester, Virginia.
Carter performed in such bands as Secrets and Blue Indigo with fellow bandmate Leroi Moore. Both bands have performed at Miller's Bar where Dave Matthews was a bartender. Eventually, Dave approached Carter regarding some music he had written that he wished to record. Carter agreed to perform on a demo, which is how he became one of the founding members of the Dave Matthews Band.
Carter uses a Yamaha Drums drum kit, Ludwig black beauty snare drums, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads, Pro-Mark sticks and mallets, Yamaha and Drum Workshop hardware, and various Latin Percussion cowbells, woodblocks and other assorted percussion equipment.
From his first marriage, Carter has a grown daughter, Breana Symone. With his second wife, Karen, he has two children: a daughter, Nadja Angelique, born October 5, 2001 and a son, Marcus Carrington born December 2004.