Aaron Shust grew up near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied music theory at Toccoa Falls College in Georgia. While there he studied Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach. He also became influenced by U2 and Bob Marley. He began performing at churches and coffeehouses while at college.

Shust began leading worship at Perimeter Church, Duluth, Georgia in 2000 and recorded his album, Anything Worth Saying in 2004 with producer Dan Hannon who delivered the album along with a stack of others along to Brash Music for consideration.