 While attending a club called the Verve, Austin met Adam Aijala and Ben Kaufmann, with whom he and Johnston would form the Yonder Mountain String Band (YMSB) in 1998.In late 2013, Austin announced that he would be taking a leave of absence from YMSB due to the pending birth of his daughter.On April 23, 2014, the band announced an amicable parting of ways with Austin, citing creative differences and conflicting career goals.