Dave Matthews Band's Boyd Tinsley accused of sexual misconduct, 'no longer' in band

Sara M Moniuszko | USA TODAY

Dave Matthews Band violinist Boyd Tinsley is the latest target of sexual misconduct allegations.

Tinsley, 54, was accused of sexual misconduct by James Frost-Winn, a Seattle-based trumpet player who worked for Tinsley as a member of the band Crystal Garden from about 2015 through 2016, according to a report from online entertainment magazine Consequence of Sound Thursday.

Frost-Winn, 28, told the magazine that he met Tinsley in 2007 when he was a homeless teenager and became friends over a mutual love of music.

Forst-Winn is now seeking $9 million in damages against Tinsley, claiming he created a “hostile work environment” withinin the band by making unwanted advancements and sending explicit texts, according to court documents, which were filed in Washington state.

DMB denied previously knowing about the allegations in an emailed statement to USA TODAY Friday from Matthew Traub, a spokesman for 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.

Their decision makes permanent the sabbatical Tinsley took in February, expressing a desire to concentrate on his family (he and his wife Emily have two children) and health.

This isn't the first time Tinsley has been accused of sexual misconduct. In 2015, he faced allegations from his former personal assistant Getty A. Rothenberg, who alleged Tinsley had a "dark side," describing his as a "sexual predator."

However, later that year, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that a district judge had thrown out the portions of the suit pertaining to "sexual misconduct and other improprieties," saying Rothenberg had failed to adequately explain them and had likely included them to scare Tinsley into settling.

His lawsuit was dismissed by a Richmond circuit court judge later that year after failing to provide

DMB is an American rock band that formed in Charlottesville, Va., in the early 1990s. They are known for their hits Crash Into Me, Ants Marching and more.