Stefan Lessard

Stefan Kahil Lessard was born on June 4, 1974, to musician parents.^[1] He joined Dave Matthews Band at age 16, recommended to the band's guitarist and vocalist Dave Matthews by trumpeter and music teacher John D'earth.^[4][1] Lessard commenced studying jazz at Virginia Commonwealth University. However, due to the rising popularity of Dave Matthews Band, he ceased his studies.^[5]

In addition to his typical bass guitar, Lessard also plays double bass and ukulele bass.^[2] Among the basses he has used are a 1957 Fender Precision Bass (for recording of Dave Matthews Band's 2023 album Walk Around the Moon), a custom Dingwall 6-string, Music Man StingRays (4- and 5-string), a Modulus fretless, and a Warwick Dolphin.^[2][6]

In 1996, Lessard's three-week-old daughter, Aslan, died of unknown causes.^[7] He married Josie Baucom in 1997; and they divorced in 2004. He remarried to Jaclyn Burton in 2005. Together, they have three daughters, Hazel Bailey (born 2004), Flora Jude (born 2006), and India (born 2015). In 2007, his home was destroyed by a fire.^[8] Lessard now resides in Laguna Beach, California, and he has a son and three daughters.^[6]

Lessard is a member of the advisory board of Reverb, a non-profit environmental organization.^[9]