His mother, Marsha (née Laycock), was a dancer, and his father, Michael Cerveris Sr. was an Italian American professor of music;[3] the two met while students at the Juilliard School.

[16] He appeared Off-Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim-John Weidman musical Road Show at the Public Theater in 2008 as Wilson Mizner.

[17] Cerveris appeared opposite Mary-Louise Parker in the limited Roundabout Theatre Company production of Hedda Gabler from January 2009 to March 2009.

[25] Cerveris has appeared several times at the Ravinia Festival Concerts (Chicago), including: Passion (2003),[26] Sunday in the Park with George (2004),[27] and Anyone Can Whistle in 2005.

[30][31][32] Cerveris has appeared in films such as Lulu on the Bridge (1998), The Mexican (2001),[33] Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (2009),[34] Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009), Stake Land (2010),[35] Detours (2016), and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).

His television roles include Ian Ware on Fame, Marvin Frey on Treme, State's Attorney James Castro on The Good Wife, Ramses IV on The Tick, Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg on Gotham, and September/The Observer on Fringe.

These include appearing in the audience at a taping of American Idol, being shown in the stands at various football and NASCAR events, and a cameo in a commercial for Glee.

Cerveris played guitar as a member of Bob Mould's touring band supporting the album The Last Dog And Pony Show.

His debut solo album, Dog Eared (Low Heat Records 2004), was co-produced with Adam Lasus and includes guest appearances from Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, R.E.M.

), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), Kevin March (Guided by Voices), Anders Parker (Varnaline), and Laura Cantrell.

Known for tongue-in-cheek mashups, country covers, and Cerveris' original songs and collaborations with Kaye, the group has gone on to appear at Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, NPR's Mountain Stage, 54 Below, Chickie Wah Wah's, Siberia, Kajun's Pub, The Blue Note Cafe, Louisiana Music Factory, Rock'n'bowl, Rockwoof Music Hall, Webster Hall, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, AmericanaFest, and many others.