Happy Birthday Dave Matthews: Solo & Guest Spotify Playlist

Guitarist/vocalist/frontman Dave Matthews was born on this day in 1967 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The 49-year-old has developed a successful career as the leader of his namesake jam-rock outfit Dave Matthews Band but has also kept busy with other projects over the years, including his duo with Tim Reynolds and his Dave Matthews & Friends outfit that featured Phish guitarist and longtime collaborator Trey Anastasio. For this week’s installment of Saturday Stream the focus of the Spotify Playlist below is on Matthews’ work outside of DMB, as a solo artist, guest musician and more.

The birthday-inspired set boasts a genre and generation-crossing lineup of musicians either sharing a stage or studio recording with Dave who lends his guitar and signature vocals to these tracks. The broad collection of artists featured in the playlist includes such legends as Herbie Hancock, Santana, Little Feat and Emmylou Harris. Contemporaries of Matthews’ like frequent collaborators Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Jack Johnson, Mike Doughty and Soulive, sit alongside such internationally renowned artists as Angelique Kidjo and Vieux Farka Touré.

There’s a humorous cut from Jimmy Fallon’s latest comedy LP, solo tribute covers of Phish and John Denver, a track by hip-hop collective Jurassic 5 and one by country star Kenny Chesney, as well as an acoustic take from Dave’s 2003 solo album Some Devil and a Dave & Tim live recording – along with a few others. The running time is just under one and a half hours of music showcasing the birthday-boy for your listening pleasure.