Grammy nods have extra meaning for Dave Matthews Band after tragedy

NEW YORK -- Although the Dave Matthews Band's many achievements include a Grammy Award, getting a trophy has never been the focus of the group, which has blazed an independent path from pop's mainstream.

But this year, even frontman Dave Matthews is feeling emotional over the band's two nominations for "Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King," including album of the year.

"To get that was a real thrill for me ... because of what the album meant to us and because [of] the loss of LeRoi [Moore] and because of the love that we put into making this," Matthews said.

The Grammy nominations underscore how the band, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has rejuvenated itself after traumas that have led to the dissolution of other groups: First, creative differences almost tore them apart, then Moore died after a 2008 ATV accident.

"This band now as it is, is in a very new and very dynamic, very encouraged phase," Matthews said.

It was only a few years ago that the band -- Matthews, saxophonist Moore, drummer Carter Beauford, bassist Stefan Lessard and violinist Boyd Tinsley -- had frayed to the point where Matthews wondered if there would ever be new music from them.

Though the band has sold millions of records, frustration was high among its core members -- Moore, Beauford and Matthews -- after 2005's "Stand Up."

It was Beauford and Moore who helped the band get through their deepest valley.

"The three of us were the ones in disarray, and I mean essentially, the foundation that the band couldn't survive without was gone, and that's when I said, 'I'm done' -- that's what blew apart and that's what came back together," Matthews said. "Those two guys basically said -- especially Carter -- said, 'No, no, it's not too late, let's sit down and let's figure it out."'

Grammy-winning producer Rob Cavallo had started work on the band's next album when Moore was injured in an ATV accident in June 2008.

Moore died two months later at age 46. Though devastated, the band played the night he died and continued after that, more determined than ever.

"To fall apart after Roy's death would have been the greatest way to dishonor him, especially since he considered what we were working on to be our best album to date," Matthews said.

Fans can hear Moore's presence all over "Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King." Its title references Moore's nickname, "Groogrux," his solos begin and end the album and his artistic stamp is throughout.

"We took the great things that he contributed to us in philosophy of life and philosophy of music with this album and the gems that he contributed to the music before he died ... and we took those things and we played them harder than maybe we would have ... if he had lived," Matthews said.

Which is why the band's nominations for album of the year and rock album of the year were so gratifying.

"I felt like we earned it, as opposed to a lot of my other records, I think I would have been more cynical," Matthews said. "It wouldn't have been quite as sweet at any other time in our career for that reason, it meant a great deal, and means a deal to me."