Mike Oberst is an American multinstrumentalist, musician, artist and songwriter based in Cincinnati, Ohio, who performs solo and as a member of the band, The Tillers, which he co-founded.
They have performed internationally, including shows with Pokey LaFarge, Justin Townes Earle, Jerry Douglas, Iris Dement, Rev.
Horton Heat, Doc Watson, Taj Mahal, Guy Clark, The Hackensaw Boys, Country Joe Mcdonald, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, Dex Romweber, Rev.
At 13, he learned a few guitar chords from his father and within a year he began performing with friends with whom he later formed local punk rock bands Disarm and The Resurgence.
He became fascinated with the banjo and American folk music, especially in the style of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger and other Depression-era artists.
[5][6] Over the next three years, The Tillers toured almost nonstop but also found time to record and release three albums: By The Signs (2010), Wild Hog in the Woods (2011) and Farewell to the Historic Southgate House (2012).
Also, that year, he helped produce a benefit concert, "To Sing with You Once More," to raise money and awareness to fight multiple myeloma cancer in memory of his late mother, who had died from the disease.
The concert featured folk musicians from all over the United States, including John Cohen and Tracy Schwarz, members of Mike Seeger's former band, The New Lost City Ramblers.