Song:Complicated
Album:The Show
I would describe the Yonder Mountain String Band (YMSB) as Newgrass. That is traditional bluegrass mixed with contemporary music. In this case there is a big Grateful Dead influence. Dave Johnston was a student at the University of Illinois and he was in The Bluegrassholes. He asked Jeff Austin to join. Johnston plays banjo and Austin plays mandolin. When the band split up, both guys moved to Boulder, CO and formed Yonder Mountain String Band with guitarist Adam Aijala and bassist Ben Kaufmann. As I said, they are not a traditional bluegrass band. They mix that with rock elements heavily influenced by jam bands like the Grateful Dead. They also write original songs. A big part of traditional bluegrass is performing standards. They don't do that. They have recorded for their own Frog Pad label since 1999. Complicated is from the 2009 album The Show. Kaufmann wrote it and sings lead. The album is available as a digital download. Austin left in 2014 and has recorded solo. He was replaced by Jake Joliff and they also added former Cornmeal fiddler Allie Kral. YMSB released a new CD Love Ain't Love June 2017. They are currently touring to support it. Here's the Yonder Mountain String Band performing Complicated at KDHX in St. Louis Dec. 30, 2010.
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