Andrew Dost was born to father Mark Dost, a retired teacher at Frankfort High School,[3] and mother Cheryl, also a retired teacher at Frankfort High School.

[5][6] Regarding Dost's musical ambitions, his father, Mark, has said, "We always encouraged it because he plays flugelhorn, keyboard, guitar, melodica and drums.

According to an editorial review, "The story is a comedy of sorts, taking preposterous liberties with the legendary tale of Christopher Columbus .

"[13] The album was written, produced, and recorded almost entirely by Dost, along with help from Michael Nau (of Page France and The Cotton Jones Basket Ride), Nate Ruess (of The Format), Joel Thiele (of Anathallo), Chris Fafalios, and Steve Soboslai.

[14] In 2008, Nate Ruess (former frontman of The Format) asked Dost to join him and Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train) in a new band, which became Fun.

's first album, Aim and Ignite, Dost remained based out of Michigan, while Ruess lived in Phoenix, Arizona, and Antonoff in New Jersey.

[16] On April 20, 2016, Dost said in an interview with the Metro Times that he's, "finishing an album, and scoring some films and TV shows in the meantime.

"[17] In this same interview, Dost also said, regarding his music, "I'm pretty heavily influenced by '60s pop, but also love experimenting with modern sounds.

[20] He began teaching in the singer-songwriter program at Interlochen Center for the Arts around this time.