South African vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews formed the Dave Matthews Band in Virginia in the early '90s. Featuring the creative talents of Matthews, Stefan Lessard, LeRoi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, and Carter Beauford, the group presented a more pop-oriented version of the Grateful Dead crossed with traces of jazz, funk, and the worldbeat explorations of Paul Simon and Sting. The band built up a strong word-of-mouth following in the early '90s by touring the country constantly, with special attention paid to college campuses.