Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III, born on September 30, 1964, grew up in the charming town of Princeton, New Jersey, where he developed a passion for playing drums. As a child, he collaborated with his mother, an editor for Sesame Street Magazine, on stories and songs that blended fantasy, fun, and meaning.
Trey's father, an executive at the Princeton-based Educational Testing Service, played a significant role in his life, administering various standardized tests, including the SAT. Anastasio's early musical endeavors took place at Princeton Day School, where he honed his skills and developed his musicianship.
For high school, Trey transferred to Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, a prestigious prep school where he joined an eleven-person classic rock band called Red Tide as a vocalist. After seven members of the band graduated, Trey reformed the group as Space Antelope, taking on the role of guitarist.
Trey's academic pursuits led him to the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he studied various musical forms, including fugues and big band arrangements, while majoring in philosophy. During his time at UVM, he hosted a popular Monday morning radio show, "Ambient Alarm Clock," and met fellow musicians Jon Fishman, Jeff Holdsworth, and Mike Gordon. The four formed the band Phish, which would go on to become one of the largest touring acts in the country.
After a few years, Phish members met Page McConnell, a student at Goddard College in Vermont, who eventually joined the band on keys and convinced Trey and Jon to transfer to Goddard. Under McConnell's influence, Phish's popularity continued to soar, with the band reportedly grossing $10.3 million in 1994 from concerts across the United States.
Phish's success continued to grow, with the band playing 80 U.S. shows and grossing $16 million in 1995, 49 shows and grossing $17 million in 1996, and 44 U.S. shows, selling over 800,000 tickets, and grossing over $21 million in 1997. In 1998, Phish played 44 U.S. shows, grossing $23.3 million and ranking 23rd on the top concert tours of North America.
