Jeff Austin Splits With Yonder Mountain String Band; Announces Solo Tour Dates

One of the greatest and most popular bluegrass bands of all time has officially split with mandolin player, vocalist, and founding member Jeff Austin. The band broke the news on their Facebook page:

Yonder Mountain String Band is all about family, and through the support of our family of fans, we have been able to play music for you for the past 15 years. We couldn't be more proud about our successes and experiences performing at the best venues and festivals in the country, and for the most dedicated fans any band could ever wish to have. With this said, YMSB would like to share some news about the future of the band. Collectively, after long, heartfelt discussions, we've all decided to move forth with a newly formed line-up due to varying career goals and creative pursuits. As of today, all future YMSB shows will be performed with Adam Aijala (guitar, vocals), Ben Kaufmann (bass, vocals), and David Johnston (banjo, vocals). We will welcome exciting special guests throughout the rest of the year and we look forward to a new permanent line-up in 2015. YMSB fully supports Jeff Austin and his emerging solo career.

Yonder Mountain String Band will perform all scheduled dates throughout 2014 with the new line up and special guests. Jeff Austin will be announcing more dates for his solo endeavors in the coming months. The band wants the fans to know that this decision did not come easily, and we'll certainly keep all of our fans up to date with the new Yonder band-member line-up information.

We greatly look forward to seeing everyone out on the road this Summer and Fall!

With Gratitude & Respect,
Ben, Jeff, Dave & Adam

Meanwhile, YMSB will continue their planned tour as a trio with a series of guests, and Jeff Austin has announced 2014 tour dates at jeffaustin.com:

May 7 - Georgia Theatre - Athens, GA
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

May 8 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

May 9 - The Blind Tiger - Greensboro, NC
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

May 10 - Aiken Bluegrass Festival - Aiken, SC
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

May 30 - The Pour House - Charleston, SC
Jeff Austin Trio (featuring Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

May 31 - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater - Wilmington, NC
Jeff Austin Trio (featuring Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

June 1 - Pisgah Brewing Company - Black Mountain, NC
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)
Supporting Leftover Salmon with and Jon Stickley Trio (Late Night).

June 3 - The Lincoln Theatre - Raleigh, NC
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

June 4 - The Hamilton - Washington D.C.
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)
Supporting Leftover Salmon

June 5 - The Lyric Theatre - Blacksburg, VA
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

June 6 - Riverbend Festival - Chattanooga, TN
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

June 7 - Blue Plum Music Festival - Johnson City, TN
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

August 1 - Gathering of the Vibes - Bridgeport, CT
Jeff will be playing with Grateful Grass featuring Keller Williams, Jeff Austin and Reed Mathis.

August 4 - Targhee Music Camp - Alta, WY
Songwriting and Performance Workshop

August 9 - Targhee Bluegrass Festival - Alta, WY

August 15 to Aug 16 - YarmonyGrass - Rancho Del Rio, CO
Grateful Grass ft. Keller Williams, Jeff Austin and Reed Mathis.

August 22 - Nedfest - Nederland, CO
Jeff Austin Band (featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin)

September 4 to Sep 7 - Lockn' Festival - Arrington, VA
Grateful Grass ft. Keller Williams, Jeff Austin and Reed Mathis

As someone who went to college in the early 2000s, the Yonder Mountain String Band were - and still are - very near to my heart. I've seen them live many times over the years, bought almost all their albums, and collected many live bootleg recordings. It's sad that the band has split, but perhaps this means that fans will get to double their pleasure, as YMSB and Jeff Austin will continue performing and making great music. Jeff Austin is one of the most exciting, dynamic, and theatrical performers I've ever seen on stage, and he's a dynamo on mandolin. Hopefully, he'll come to New York City soon!

Via: Jambands.com