Boyd Tinsley, the violinist of the Dave Matthews Band, joins the long list of celebrities accused of sexual misconduct as part of the #MeToo movement.
A 28-year-old trumpet player named James Frost-Winn has spoken to Consequence of Sound to talk about the long-term abuse and harassment he experienced under the 54-year-old musician.
Boyd Tinsley's Sexual Misconduct
Frost-Winn recounted that he met Tinsley back in 2007 when he was 18 years old and homeless. The two shared a bond over their mutual love for music.
The alleged victim added that he experienced a kind of generosity from the renowned violinist that he has never seen before. He said Tinsley bought him food and nice jackets and got his number so that they could hang out whenever the musician was in town.
Frost-Winn said Tinsley was a very generous friend; he was treated to dinner, car rides home, and has received special perks including passes to performances of the Dave Matthews Band. However, things turned sour in 2009 when Frost-Winn and friends were given tickets to the Outside Lands Music where the rock band was the headliner.
After their set, Tinsley invited Winn at the backstage of the festival to hang out but said that he would not be comfortable with the younger man's friends. When the trumpeter declined, Tinsley responded by calling him "sweet, tender, and innocent."
Frost-Winn immediately clarified that he was not interested in Tinsley romantically, but the violinist said he was not flirting with the young man. However, that exchange was only the first of a series of unwanted sexual advances and harassment that Frost-Winn received from Tinsley.
The trumpeter worked with the artist as part of the band Crystal Garden from 2015 to 2016. He recounted that, during the time of musical creation and touring, Tinsley's behavior around him got a little weird.
"A couple things like that had thrown me off, but he hadn't done anything aggressive," he said. "So I thought maybe he's a weird guy. It was definitely like that's not normal ... but I didn't feel uncomfortable around him."
After a recording session, however, Tinsley's strange behavior escalated to sexual harassment. Frost-Winn recalled that, when he woke up from a nap on a couch inside the studio, he found the violinist masturbating beside him and touching his butt.
"I sat there for hours; I was so freaked out," the trumpeter said. "I felt assaulted. It was something I didn't expect from him."
Frost-Winn said that he repeatedly received explicit messages from Tinsley until he finally left the band in August 2016.
The 28-year-old finally decided to seek legal action against his alleged abuser. He tried to settle out of court and sent a demand letter on Feb. 2, the same day when Tinsley announced that he is taking a break from Dave Matthews Band to concentrate on his family and health.
Frost-Winn explained that it was the #MeToo movement, which brought down several Hollywood giants like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, that gave him the courage to come out and pursue legal action. He is seeking $9 million in damages.
Dave Matthew Band Responds To Allegations
In a statement to USA Today, the Dave Matthew Band denied knowledge about the sexual misconduct allegation made against their violinist. The group also hinted that Tinsley has been permanently been kicked out of the band.
"Though Boyd is no longer a member of the band, we are shocked by these disturbing allegations and we were not previously aware of them," the statement read.
