Dean Felber

Dean Felber

A member of the 90s rock group Hootie & the Blowfish, Dean Felber plays the bass and does the background vocals for the group. He works alongside Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan and Jim Sonefield.

Born Everett Dean Felber in Bethesda, Maryland, Dean Felber grew up in a family with two sisters. While in high school he played in the band Missing In Action with fellow band member Mike Bryan. After graduation he went to the University of South Carolina to major in finance. Dean Felber joined Hootie & the Blowfish during college on the premise that it wouldn't be taken too seriously. This easy-going relaxed attitude added to the band's success. None of the band members were ready for the huge popularity the band received.

In 1994 the band signed with Atlantic Records and released their first album Crack Rear View. "Hold My Hand," one of the singles on the album, climbed its way into the Top Ten by 1995. Other popular favorites followed including "Let Her Cry" and "Only Wanna Be With You." The music combines country, r&b, rock and jazz to produce a popular sound from the group. When Hootie & the Blowfish released their second album Fairweather Johnson in 1996, Cracked Rear View had sold more than 13 million copies in the United States, not to mention over a million copies overseas. Between touring and recording Hootie & the Blowfish were becoming a music icon of the 90s. Fairweather Johnson sold more than two million copies and includes the songs "Silly Little Pop Song," "So Strange" and "When I'm Lonely." The group received two Grammy Awards in 1996 for Best New Artist and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their hit "Let Her Cry."

The 1998 release Musical Chairs continues to augment the group's popularity. Darius Rucker is known as the primary lyricist for the group but Musical Chairs contains music composed by all the members. Dean Felber composed "Michele Post." The album is a blend of different styles including country, bluegrass, r&b and rock. "Desert Mountain Showdown" uses the violin and mandolin to produce a bluegrass sound. Dean Felber adds to that sound with the acoustic guitar.

Joining the band in 1989 was something fun for Dean Felber to do while he attended finance classes. Little did he know then that the band would succeed internationally and receive two Grammy Awards. As a prolific guitarist Dean Felber is able to produce a variety of styles on the guitar. After being with the band for almost a decade Dean Felber can also add lyricist to his list of accomplishments. Kim Summers