For nearly three decades, Grammy-nominated Yonder Mountain String Band continues to exist at the forefront of the progressive bluegrass scene, as innovators and pioneers of the modern jamgrass movement. With their diverse mix of bluegrass, rock, alternative, and improvisational music, Yonder Mountain brought their high-energy sound and psychedelic light show into rock ‘n’ roll settings with tremendous success, proving it possible for a bluegrass band to not only exist but excel in a rock world without drums. The inroads they made created opportunities for like-minded acoustic bands to perform at festivals, rock clubs, theaters, and stadiums previously considered off-limits for string bands.
Yonder Mountain’s original music and anything-goes attitude helped cultivate a spirit of collaborative improvisation that continues to fuel today’s progressive bluegrass and jamgrass scenes. It is a testament to the legacy of Yonder Mountain String Band that their original songs and unique interpretations of covers are regularly performed by next-generation marquee bluegrass bands.
