The aspiring guitarist discovered a proficiency for the violin in a middle school strings class, and went on to study under Isadore Saslav, the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony. When he was 16, Tinsley balked at the idea of pursuing the life of a classical virtuoso, and began experimenting with other types of music. In 1991, after two unsuccessful solo ventures, he was asked to play on a demo for the still yet to explode Dave Matthews Band, and subsequently joined the group full-time in 1992. In 2003 he announced his plans to one day record a solo record, but admits to enjoying his current occupation(s) as a model and the violinist for one of the world's most popular bands. ~ James Christopher Monger