Jeff Coffin — composer, Dave Matthews Band saxophonist, three-time Grammy Award winner and adjunct instructor of jazz saxophone in the Blair School of Music — was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. The induction was announced in April but the official ceremony took place six months later at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
Coffin said he and his bandmates were excited about the induction but confirmed that his passion for music supersedes the national recognition.
“[The band and I] were all pretty elated, of course; it’s an incredible honor that we don’t take lightly,” Coffin said. “I should be clear, though, that awards and accolades are not why I make music. If they come, they come, but I’m also grateful for making music when there are [no awards]. The music is the most important thing to me.”
Coffin currently tours with the Dave Matthews Band, following his 1997 to 2010 tenure as the saxophonist for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. He described the Blair music program as “one of the best [he’s] experienced.”
“I teach because I love teaching, and I love working with students, feeling inspired by them and hopefully inspiring them,” Coffin said. “We have incredible faculty, and the resources are expanding every year.”
Coffin explained that his professional career influences his teaching career at Vanderbilt, and sharing his experiences on tour can help prepare Blair students for a career in music.
“I can speak to them from the experience of being on the road since 1997, and I can speak to them about how to have a career and what’s expected of them,” Coffin said. “I can help prepare them in many ways to better understand what they’re walking into.”
Coffin said that his students were enthusiastic about his induction, but he aims to remain humble about his accolades.
“[My students at Blair] were all super supportive and have really gone out of their way to congratulate me,” Coffin said. “I appreciate it very much, of course. I don’t make a big deal of it, though, around people. That’s just not who I am.”
Sophomore Nate Spratford, a student of Coffin’s, expressed his excitement at Coffin’s induction.
“It was really cool when we found out Jeff got inducted, and I especially loved watching the livestream and seeing him perform with the band during the induction ceremony,” Spratford said. “I was texting him about how long [the ceremony] was while it was happening because the broadcast started at 6 [p.m.], and he didn’t play until around 11 [p.m.], so I had it on in the background for a while. But it was definitely worth the wait.”
Coffin, who received three Grammy Awards during his time at Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, said that being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a little different from winning a Grammy Award, primarily due to the Grammys’ surprise factor.
“Winning a Grammy was like a first love. You never forget it,” Coffin said. “There is an unknowing with the Grammy Awards too because you find out when you’re there. It’s a secret up until then, so there can be a disappointment for some people when they don’t win. I was nominated for a solo record, ‘Between Dreaming and Joy,’ a year ago and didn’t win, but what a great honor to be nominated.”
Coffin said that he found a good balance between his multifaceted pursuits, and plans to use his induction momentum to release more music next year.
“I’m in a good groove these days between playing, teaching and composing,” Coffin said. “I also run my own indie record label, ‘Ear Up Records,’ and we were just chosen as the ‘Best of Nashville’ in The Scene magazine. So, I’ll be releasing more records next year, as many as five, and I’ll keep writing, teaching and touring. I definitely need to carve out some ‘me time’ along the way. My energy is good, though, so I’m carrying on.”
