Jeff Austin

Long-time festival favorites and jam-grass pioneers Yonder Mountain String Band have joined forces with JamBase to present Yonder May—a weekly video broadcast of YMSB sets from the 1990s and early 2000s, culled from the band’s personal, fan-gifted VHS tape collection and hand-edited (yes, painstakingly cut and spliced, remember that?) and digitized by guitarist and founding member Adam Aijala. Airing every Thursday in May at 4:20 pm EDT, Yonder May will raise funds to support the entire YMSB team while not on tour via a “virtual tip jar” for Venmo and Paypal donations.

This coming Friday, April 3rd, will mark the second installment of WWG TV from the producers of WinterWonderGrass. Viewers can tune into the livestream on Friday at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET) via the festival's official Facebook page and YouTube channel.

While thankfulness is inherent to a Deadhead’s makeup, oftentimes, we don’t stop and fully let our gratitude overwhelm us. The Skull & Roses Music Festival in Ventura, California this April 2nd-5th will easily remedy that. Offering a most wonderful setting in a most sacred spot, Skull & Roses provides the perfect opportunity to allow our appreciation to soar. I sense the familiar thrill rise within me as I digest this year's lineup— Billy & the Kids, Oteil & Friends, Jeff Chimenti, Steve Kimock, and George Porter Jr.

Leftover Salmon releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” as a tribute to dear friend Jeff Austin in his memory. The song was penned by LoS’s bassist, Greg Garrison, and is out now at Backline.care/songs-left-unsung. All proceeds from the sale of it are donated to Backline.

The Infamous Stringdusters have had quite the substantial last week or so, starting off with their Halloween escapades at the beginning of last weekend in which they were able to jam with none other than G. Love of Special Sauce. This past Monday night, the band was featured as part of the incredible celebration What The Night Brings, the musical tribute to the late mandolin master Jeff Austin, with whom of course The Stringdusters had befriended and performed beside many times.

Festivaaaaal! Everybody knows that rally cry. Do you know why it became the go-to rally cry for Leftover Salmon? The origin of Festivaaaal! was wondering Telluride’s campsites, bonding over Star Trek’s Red Hour episode. It’s not just an exciting statement of your location. Festivaaaal! has become synonymous with Leftover Salmon’s infectious enthusiasm and the way they can fit on any bill, in any location, with any other bands. Festival! is a shout of pure bliss while reveling in the good times listening to one of the most enduring bands of all times, Leftover Salmon.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to share my very first Northwest String Summit experience with you all. I will do my best to honor this festival’s long history, while explaining my first experience, not only with this festival but at Horning's Hideout. This festival is in its 18th year here in Oregon, and it’s hard to think of another festival in such a serene location. That’s a whole generation of people growing up in this festival, which is something very unique and beautiful.

The 35th Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival had many highlights, most notably the omnipresence of the hottest talent on the Bluegrass circuit, Billy Strings.

However, one of the main "subplots" that many wondered about was the status of "The Grateful Ball" given the recent, sudden and tragic passing of mandolin genius and original Grateful Ball participant, Jeff Austin.

Jeff Austin's tremendous impact on our community will never be forgotten. So many family, friends, and music fans' lives were connected and inspired by Jeff, creating endless memories, both on the stage and off.

Throughout the years, few musicians have been able to curate raw energy, pure emotion and eloquent passion quite like Jeff Austin. The longtime mandolin player, frontman and smiling soul of Yonder Mountain String Band passed away, leaving a legacy of incredible music, memories and everlasting devotion to the bluegrass community.

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