Stefan Lessard
Encyclopedia
Stefan Kahil Lessard is an American
musician
, most famous as the bassist
for the Dave Matthews Band
.
, California
, to musicians Ron and Janaki Lessard. After moving a number of times during his childhood, Lessard and his family eventually settled in Charlottesville
, Virginia
in 1987. They had previously lived from 1980-1984 in Buckingham County, Virginia and in Richmond
, Virginia from 1984-1986.
, where he studied music under trumpeter John D'earth
. D'earth recommended Lessard to Dave Matthews
for inclusion in his new band, which was looking for a bassist. Lessard joined Dave Matthews Band just as it was forming, when he was sixteen years old. Due to his age, he sometimes had to sneak in the back door of the clubs where the band was playing.
Lessard completed his junior year of high school before dropping out in favor of music career, and was accepted at Richmond's Virginia Commonwealth University
in their jazz studies program. He left after six weeks, when it became evident that he could not keep up with school work while continuing with the band.
In 2006, Lessard began maintaining a MySpace page called LowenDude. He also owns and maintains a blog at izstyle.com. During the 2007 European Tour, Lessard also began a video blog on YouTube.
On January 9, 2008, Lessard performed with members of Guster
and Barenaked Ladies
under the name Yukon Kornelius
in a benefit concert sponsored by Okemo Mountain Resort, a ski resort in Vermont
. Later that year, he co-wrote the original music for Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk
.
in 1996. They divorced in 2004.
In October 2005 he married Jaclyn Burton, and together they have two daughters, Hazel Bailey (born March 6, 2004) and Flora Jude (born July 13, 2006).
On November 29, 2007, Lessard's home in western Albemarle County, Virginia
, burned down, with a loss estimated at over 2 million dollars. It took over 40 firefighters from five different fire departments to extinguish the blaze. The origin of the fire is unknown, but the Albemarle County Fire Marshall's Office cites the structure's cedar shake siding as a contributor to the rapid spread of the fire. Lessard and his son were home at the time of the fire, though they escaped unharmed.
, Warwick
, and hand-made Hill Custom Basses, currently known as Bootleg Guitars. On the Dave Matthews Band album Busted Stuff
, he plays piano
, Hammond organ
, and Dobro
guitar.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, most famous as the bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
for the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
.
Early life
Lessard was born in AnaheimAnaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to musicians Ron and Janaki Lessard. After moving a number of times during his childhood, Lessard and his family eventually settled in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1987. They had previously lived from 1980-1984 in Buckingham County, Virginia and in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia from 1984-1986.
Career
After moving to Charlottesville, he enrolled in the Tandem Friends SchoolTandem Friends School
Tandem Friends School is a coeducational secondary school founded in 1970 in Albemarle County, Virginia, just outside Charlottesville, by educators John Howard and Duncan Alling. In 1995, it joined the Friends Council on Education, adopting the educational beliefs and practices of the Quakers. The...
, where he studied music under trumpeter John D'earth
John D'earth
John D'earth is an American post bop/hard bop jazz trumpeter born in Holliston, Massachusetts has appeared on recordings by Dave Matthews and Bruce Hornsby as well as recording a number of CDs on his own. D'earth attended Harvard University briefly only to drop out and pursue his musical career....
. D'earth recommended Lessard to Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
for inclusion in his new band, which was looking for a bassist. Lessard joined Dave Matthews Band just as it was forming, when he was sixteen years old. Due to his age, he sometimes had to sneak in the back door of the clubs where the band was playing.
Lessard completed his junior year of high school before dropping out in favor of music career, and was accepted at Richmond's Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
in their jazz studies program. He left after six weeks, when it became evident that he could not keep up with school work while continuing with the band.
In 2006, Lessard began maintaining a MySpace page called LowenDude. He also owns and maintains a blog at izstyle.com. During the 2007 European Tour, Lessard also began a video blog on YouTube.
On January 9, 2008, Lessard performed with members of Guster
Guster
Guster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
and Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
under the name Yukon Kornelius
Yukon Kornelius
Yukon Kornelius is a rock music supergroup. It consists of bassist Stefan Lessard from the Dave Matthews Band , singer/guitarist Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, singer/guitarist Adam Gardner from Guster, and drummer Eric Fawcett from Spymob...
in a benefit concert sponsored by Okemo Mountain Resort, a ski resort in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Later that year, he co-wrote the original music for Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk
Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk
Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk is an American documentary film directed by Greg MacGillivray and narrated by Robert Redford. It was released to IMAX 3D Theaters in 2008....
.
Personal life
Lessard married long-time girlfriend Josie Baucom in 1997. They had one son together, Elijah Diego (born January 9, 1998) and lost a daughter, Aslan, to SIDSSudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
in 1996. They divorced in 2004.
In October 2005 he married Jaclyn Burton, and together they have two daughters, Hazel Bailey (born March 6, 2004) and Flora Jude (born July 13, 2006).
On November 29, 2007, Lessard's home in western Albemarle County, Virginia
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
, burned down, with a loss estimated at over 2 million dollars. It took over 40 firefighters from five different fire departments to extinguish the blaze. The origin of the fire is unknown, but the Albemarle County Fire Marshall's Office cites the structure's cedar shake siding as a contributor to the rapid spread of the fire. Lessard and his son were home at the time of the fire, though they escaped unharmed.
Equipment
Lessard plays a variety of bass guitars, including those made by ModulusModulus Guitars
Modulus Guitars is an American manufacturer of musical instruments, most notably bass guitars built with carbon fiber necks. The company, originally called Modulus Graphite, was founded in part by Geoff Gould, a bassist who also worked for an aerospace company in Palo Alto, California.The name may...
, Warwick
Warwick (bass guitar)
-Overview:Warwick basses were originally a premium brand offering a small range of models built from high quality and exotic tonewoods with 'Neck-through' design...
, and hand-made Hill Custom Basses, currently known as Bootleg Guitars. On the Dave Matthews Band album Busted Stuff
Busted Stuff
Busted Stuff is the fifth album by Dave Matthews Band, released by RCA Records on July 16, 2002.Nine of the eleven tracks on this album are re-recorded versions of songs that first appeared on 2000's abandoned project now known as The Lillywhite Sessions. "Where Are You Going" and "You Never Know"...
, he plays piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, and Dobro
Dobro
Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
guitar.
- Thomastik-Infeld Power Bass Strings
- Ampeg SVT-2 and SVT-4 Pro Heads
- Ampeg 8x10 and 2x15 Bass Cabinets
- Furman PL-8 Power Conditioner
- Shure U4D-UB Wireless Units
- Eventide GTR-7000 Ultra-Harmonizer
- Whirlwind 4ch Multi Selector
- Korg DTR-1 Digital Tuner
- Rane SM26B Splitter/Mixer
Solo discography
- "Beautifully Broken" (featuring Stefan Lessard) (2001) — Gov't MuleGov't MuleGov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
's The Deep End, Vol. 1