Trey Anastasio Age, Height, Wife & Biography

Trey Anastasio is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who is best known as the frontman of the rock band Phish. Born in Texas in 1964 and raised in New Jersey, he formed the band at the University of Vermont in 1983 and went on to build one of the most devoted followings in rock, with Phish becoming famous for their improvisational live concerts. He has also released solo albums, led the Trey Anastasio Band and composed music for Broadway.

Quick Facts

Who Is Trey Anastasio?

Trey Anastasio is the lead singer and guitarist of Phish, the American rock band he formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983 with Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Jeff Holdsworth. He writes much of the band’s music and is known for his complex compositions and his long improvised guitar solos. His best-known songs with Phish include Bouncing Around the Room, Sample in a Jar and Farmhouse.

Anastasio has also built a substantial career outside Phish, releasing solo albums including Shine in 2005 and Traveler in 2012, leading the Trey Anastasio Band, and composing the music for the Broadway musical Hands on a Hardbody in 2013. He is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in jam band music.

Early Life & Background

Trey Anastasio was born Ernest Joseph Anastasio III on 30 September 1964 in Fort Worth, Texas. He grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, where his father was an executive at the Educational Testing Service and his mother wrote children’s books. He attended Princeton Day School and began playing the drums before switching to the guitar.

In 1983 Anastasio enrolled at the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he met drummer Jon Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon. The three began playing together, and with guitarist Jeff Holdsworth they formed Phish. The band played their first show in 1983 and soon became a fixture in the Burlington music scene.

Career

Phish released their debut album, Junta, in 1989, followed by Lawn Boy in 1990 and A Picture of Nectar in 1992. The band built a large following through constant touring, and their live concerts became famous for long improvised jams. Albums such as Hoist in 1994, Billy Breathes in 1996 and Farmhouse in 2000 brought the band wider recognition, and Farmhouse featured the single Heavy Things.

Phish took a break from 2000 to 2002 and then, after a farewell tour in 2004, disbanded for five years. During the break Anastasio released solo albums and toured with his own band. In 2006 he was arrested on drug charges and later completed a drug court program, a turning point that led to his sobriety. Phish reunited in 2009 and have toured and recorded regularly ever since.

Since reuniting, Phish have released a run of studio albums including Joy in 2009, Fuego in 2014, Big Boat in 2016, Sigma Oasis in 2020 and Evolve in 2024. The band remain one of the most successful live acts in the United States, playing long residencies at New York’s Madison Square Garden and staging their own festivals. Anastasio has continued to lead the Trey Anastasio Band and to record solo material alongside his work with Phish.

Facts About Trey Anastasio

• He formed Phish at the University of Vermont in Burlington in 1983.
• He composed the music for the Broadway musical Hands on a Hardbody in 2013.
• He began playing the drums before switching to the guitar.
• He married Sue Anastasio in 1994.
• Phish are famous for their improvised live concerts and long residencies at Madison Square Garden.

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