Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux Album Title
If you are like many fans, you have asked yourself:
- What does Big Whiskey mean?
- What is GrooGrux?
- What does GrooGrux King mean?
The only mention of the title appears in “Why I Am” with Dave Matthews signing, “Still here dancing with the GrooGrux King / Will be drinking big whiskey while we dance and sing.”
Dave Matthews and drummer Carter Beauford revealed the origins of the two-prong name during an interview with MTV in April 2009.
What does Big Whiskey mean?
Dave Matthews said the origins of "Big Whiskey" came from an encounter with a local New Orleans drunk during a photo shoot outside of Preservation Hall in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
During the shoot, a local man was playing harmonica and asking tourists for money so he could buy "a big whiskey." Bassist Stefan Lessard gave Matthews a $20 bill to hand the man, who walked off in celebration. Trumpet player Rashawn Ross then suggested the phrase for the title of the album, which Matthews liked because people wouldn't have to call the album by the difficult term: "GrooGrux."
The below video explains Big Whiskey:
The below video is the actual account of how "Big Whiskey" made it into the title:
What does GrooGrux King mean?
Beauford described the word "GrooGrux" as not only a nickname for LeRoi Moore, but also a nickname for himself, Tim Reynolds, and former collaborator Tim Wicks. Beauford said the made-up word was used to describe the "vibe" and "energy" of their "wild-sounding rhythms" they made when they started playing music together. Beauford also mentioned that Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard and violinist Boyd Tinsley were now graduates of "The GrooGrux Academy."
MTV News Video: Carter Beauford Tells the Story Behind The GrooGrux King
