Yonder Mountain String Band | |
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Origin | Nederland, Colorado, United States |
Genres | Progressive bluegrass, country, jam band |
Years active | 1998 – present |
Labels |
Frog Pad SCI Fidelity Vanguard |
Website | www.yondermountain.com |
Members | Dave Johnston Ben Kaufmann Adam Aijala Allie Kral Jacob Joliff |
Past members | Jeff Austin |
The Yonder Mountain String Band (abbreviated YMSB and referred to by some as just "Yonder") is an American progressive bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado. Composed of Dave Johnston, Ben Kaufmann, Adam Aijala, Allie Kral, and Jacob Joliff, the band has released five studio albums and several live recordings to date.
Having met in Urbana, Illinois, banjo player Dave Johnston requested Jeff Austin to join and sing in his band The Bluegrassholes. Austin, who played no instrument, revealed to Johnston that he owned a mandolin, who then told him to come to the performance and "play anything, just play fast and loud."
After the collapse of The Bluegrassholes, Johnston moved to Boulder, Colorado, in order to further his bluegrass musical skills. Similarly, Austin moved to Colorado, but instead took up residence in the mountain town of Nederland. Johnston soon joined him there. It was during this time in Nederland that Johnston and Austin met bassist Ben Kaufmann and guitarist Adam Aijala at a local club named the Verve. In December 1998, the four musicians formed Yonder Mountain String Band which was to open for a band at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. The band developed both a bluegrass and jam band fan base, and can often be found on tour. Their debut album Elevation was released on Frog Pad Records, an independent record label run by the band, in the fall of 1999.