Yonder Mountain String Band To Tour Without Jeff Austin

Early next year Yonder Mountain String Band will hit the road for a just-announced Winter Tour. For the first 17 shows the group will perform without Jeff Austin, who will be celebrating “a special time with family” as he will soon be a father. The Travelin’ McCourys will play nearly every date with YMSB as Ronnie McCoury and Jason Carter will perform with them each night.

Yonder issued a statement explaining the unusual setup:

We’re very pleased to announce the dates for the first leg of our 2014 Winter Tour! Nothing is more important to Yonder Mountain than family. This in mind, we proudly stand behind our brother in arms, Jeff Austin, as he celebrates a very special time with his family. Please check out the personal note from Jeff below with this exciting news. Yonder Mountain will forge forth without Jeff for these first 17 shows of 2014, however Jeff will join us for the next leg of our 2014 tour dates, details to be announced soon. Our good friends The Travelin’ McCourys join us for nearly every date on the tour, with Ronnie McCoury and Jason Carter performing with us each night. We will have some other friends join the line up in Knoxville, Indianapolis, Columbus, and Madison. This tour will bring Yonder back to the deep south, including dates in KY, TN, and GA, plus four shows in Florida before traveling north along the east coast to SC, NC, and VA until we finally turn inland to wrap things up in the heart of the midwest. Tickets will presale through Yonder Ticketing this Friday, November 8th at 12 noon local venue time, with the general onsale a week later on Friday, November 15th at 12 noon local venue time.

Austin also issued a statement:

Hello, friends…Jeff Austin here…just taking a minute to write and let you know of a few things coming up.

In late January 2014, my incredible wife and I are going to be welcoming the newest addition to our family into the world…a beautiful baby girl…an experience that we are both as excited about as new parents can be. This event also happens to coincide with the first Yonder Mountain tour of 2014. After much thought and a final decision by all parties involved, I wanted you all to know that I won’t be able to be a part of that tour. Nothing in this world is bigger in life than family…and in this case, not even the music I love so dearly.

Joining the band on that tour will be my brothers in life and music, The Travelin’ McCourys. I am humbled that some of my mentors will be taking up the reins and making music in my absence with the band I’ve given so much of my life to. Whereas I will miss feeding off the energy of all you incredible fans each night…getting to hear reports of them adding new life and energy to the music of Yonder Mountain is something I will relish in hearing from afar.

I want you to know that this decision was not something taken lightly. My family and I appreciate not only your understanding, love, and support during this time, but your confidence that this isn’t only the right decision to make…it is the only decision to make.

Dance hard, spread love, and give every single bit of your incredible energy to those musicians who will take my place. Show them what you are made of, Kinfolk.

Much love
jAustin

Here’s the full list of dates:

1/22 -Lexington, KY @ Buster’s #
1/23 -Covington, KY @ Madison Theater #
1/24 -Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works #
1/25 -Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle #
1/29 -Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall #
1/30 -Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live #
1/31 -Ft. Lauderdale,FL @ Revolution #
2/1 -St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live #
2/5 -Charleston, SC @ Music Farm #
2/6 -Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel #
2/7 -Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel #
2/8 -Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre
2/11 -Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater #
2/13 -Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
2/14 -Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
2/15 -Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater
2/16 -Urbana, IL @ Canopy Club #
# -with The Travelin’ McCourys