View source for Conor Oberst

{{Short description|American musician (born 1980)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Conor Oberst
| image           = Coner Oberst - Haldern Pop Festival 2017-5 (cropped).jpg
| caption         = Oberst at Haldern Pop Festival 2017
| landscape       = 
| birth_name      = Conor Mullen Oberst
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1980|2|15}}
| birth_place     = [[Omaha, Nebraska]], United States
| occupation      = Singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist
| genre           = {{hlist|[[Indie rock]]|[[Folk music|folk]]|[[alternative country]]|[[emo music|emo]]|[[indie folk]]|[[Americana (music)|Americana]]}}
| instruments     = Vocals, guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, drums, harmonica, percussion
| years_active    = 1993–present
| label           = {{hlist|[[Saddle Creek Records|Saddle Creek]]|[[Wichita Recordings|Wichita]]|Sing, Eunuchs!|[[Merge Records|Merge]]|[[Team Love Records|Team Love]]|[[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]]|[[Dead Oceans]]}}
| current_member_of = [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]]
| past_member_of  = {{hlist|[[The Faint]]|[[Commander Venus]]|[[Park Ave. (band)|Park Ave.]]|[[Monsters of Folk]]|[[Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band]]|[[Desaparecidos (band)|Desaparecidos]]|[[Better Oblivion Community Center]]}}
| website         = {{URL|http://www.conoroberst.com/}}
| module          = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
 | signature       = Conor Oberst sig.svg
 }} 
}}
'''Conor Mullen Oberst''' (born February 15, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]]. He has also played in several other bands, including [[Desaparecidos (band)|Desaparecidos]], [[the Faint]] (previously named [[Norman Bailer]]), [[Commander Venus]], [[Park Ave. (band)|Park Ave.]], [[Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band]], [[Monsters of Folk]], and [[Better Oblivion Community Center]]. Oberst was named the Best Songwriter of 2008 by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine.

==Early life and education==
Conor Mullen Oberst was born on February 15, 1980, the youngest of three boys, and raised in [[Omaha]], [[Nebraska]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/661381/progress-report-conor-oberst/franchises/progress-report/|title=Progress Report: Conor Oberst|website=Stereogum.com|author=T. Cole Rachel|date=March 17, 2011}}</ref> to Matthew Ryan Oberst Sr., an information manager for [[Mutual of Omaha]], and Nancy Oberst, an elementary education director for [[Omaha Public Schools]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/bright-eyes/biography|title=Bright Eyes Biography|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> Oberst had two older brothers, Matthew Ryan Oberst Jr. and Justin H. Oberst. Matthew was a teacher and part-time musician until his death in 2016, and helped finance one of Oberst's self-released independent albums. Matt was also in the indie band [[Sorry About Dresden]], which Conor played in from time to time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.omaha.com/go/coffey-matt-oberst-was-a-musician-and-friend/article_c90e13c3-a47b-5b61-8b06-4a377b63084d.html|title=Coffey: Matt Oberst, 42, was a musician and friend|last=Coffey|first=Kevin Coffey|date=December 8, 2016|newspaper=Omaha.com|access-date=2017-02-21|language=en}}</ref> Conor has been writing and releasing music from a very young age, releasing his first solo album when he was 13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rcreader.com/music/moeller-nights-conor-oberst-july27|title=Conor Oberst, July 27|date=July 17, 2019|website=Rcreader.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Neighborhoods-What-s-going-on-in-your-part-of-14093606.php|title=Neighborhoods: What's going on in your part of Norwalk|date=July 13, 2019|website=Thehour.com}}</ref>

Oberst was educated at St. Pius X/St. Leo School in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was in the school choir and other musical groups, and [[Creighton Preparatory School]], also in Omaha, Nebraska.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2007/04/15/bright-eyes-carry-that-weight/|title=Bright Eyes: Carry That Weight|work=[[Magnet (magazine)|Magnet]]|date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> He briefly was enrolled at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] and dropped out after three semesters to tour.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/articles/conor-oberst-of-bright-eyes,13833/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202213737/http://www.avclub.com/articles/conor-oberst-of-bright-eyes%2C13833/|date=September 17, 2003|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 2, 2012|title=Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes)|newspaper=The A.V. Club}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enotes.com/bright-eyes-reference/bright-eyes|title=Bright Eyes|website=eNotes.com}}</ref>

==Career==

===Early career===
One night in 1992, [[Ted Stevens (musician)|Ted Stevens]] (of [[Mayday (Nebraska band)|Mayday]] and [[Cursive (band)|Cursive]]) invited Oberst onstage to play. Bill Hoover, who was in attendance, invited Oberst to come back to play with him a couple of weeks later. In that short amount of time, Oberst wrote enough songs to fill out the set, establishing himself as an artist.<ref>[http://www.timmcmahan.com/brighteyes.htm Lazy-I Interview: Bright Eyes (December 1998)] Retrieved on January 4, 2008.</ref> Shortly thereafter, Oberst began committing his new repertoire to tape in his parents' [[basement]] with his father's four track cassette recorder and an acoustic guitar.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

In mid-1993, Oberst self-released his debut album ''[[Water (Conor Oberst album)|Water]]'' on [[cassette tape]].<ref>Norris, Chris" (June 25, 2009), "Conor Oberst's Mystical Awakening". ''Rolling Stone'' (1081):</ref> The release of the album was financed by his brother Justin on what they called [[Lumberjack Records]], the [[indie label]] that would become [[Saddle Creek Records]], making them [[Organizational founder|founders]] and present day [[corporate officer|executives]] of the label.

Shortly after his two solo recordings, Oberst began playing with four friends; they formed [[Commander Venus]] in mid-1995.

''Here's to Special Treatment'' was followed by 1996's ''[[The Soundtrack to My Movie]]'', a cassette only released on Sing Eunuchs!. ''[[Kill the Monster Before It Eats Baby]]'', a split 7-inch vinyl with Bill Hoover, was also released around this time.

===The Faint (1994–1995)===
In 1994, following a [[Slowdown Virginia]] show, Oberst, along with [[Joel Petersen]] and brothers [[Todd Fink]] and [[Clark Baechle]], formed a band called [[Norman Bailer]], later known as [[The Faint]].

A few days later, Oberst told the other members of the band that they had a show in two weeks at Kilgore's. Despite having never performed together, they produced nine songs to perform.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} An album, ''[[Sine Sierra]]'', was released (on cassette only) in 1995.

===Commander Venus (1994–1998)===
{{Main|Commander Venus}}
Oberst formed the rock band [[Commander Venus]] in 1994 with [[Tim Kasher]], Ben Armstrong, and [[Robb Nansel]]. They recorded two albums: ''[[Do You Feel at Home?]]'' (1995) and ''[[The Uneventful Vacation]]'' (1997). Kasher later went on to form [[Cursive (band)|Cursive]] and Nansel was the co-founder of Saddle Creek Records. Kasher left the group to focus on [[Cursive (band)|Cursive]] as they were about to go into the studio to record their second album, and was replaced by Todd Baechle. Commander Venus disbanded in 1998.

===The Magnetas (1996)===
'''The Magnetas''' were only active for a very brief period of time in 1996 in Omaha. Along with Oberst, band members included [[Todd Fink]] ([[the Faint]]) and Chris Hughes ([[Beep Beep (band)|Beep Beep]]). They recorded three songs, only one of which ("Annex Anex") was released on Ghostmeat Records ''Parts'' compilation album. Two other confirmed recordings exist: "Clatter" and "Science Fiction in Schools".

===Park Ave. (1996)===
{{Main|Park Ave. (band)}}
In January 1996, Oberst began playing drums in a group named [[Park Ave. (band)|Park Ave.]], alongside Clark Baechle, Jenn Bernard, [[Neely Jenkins]] (now in the band [[Tilly and the Wall]]), and [[Jamie Pressnall|Jamie Williams]] (also in [[Tilly and the Wall]]). The group only played between 10 and 15 shows and made a handful of recordings (several of them with [[Mike Mogis]] as producer). The group disbanded in 1998 when Williams, the singer and primary songwriter, moved to London, England. In 1999, Urinine Records released their only album, ''When Jamie Went to London&nbsp;... We Broke Up'', which has also now been re-released under [[Team Love]].

===Bright Eyes (1995–2011, 2020–present)===
{{Main|Bright Eyes (band)}}
[[File:Conor Oberst Wiesbaden 5.JPG|thumb|Conor Oberst performing in 2005 with [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]] at [[Kulturzentrum Schlachthof (Wiesbaden)|Schlachthof]], in Wiesbaden, Germany]][[File:Conor_Oberst_aka_Bright_Eyes,_Hardly_Strictly_Bluegrass_2010.jpg|thumb|Oberst in 2010 performing at the [[Hardly Strictly Bluegrass]] music festival in San Francisco]]
<!--Facts here remain random from last several versions. Please flesh out if you can!-->
Oberst founded [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]] as a solo project in 1995, and after the disbanding of Commander Venus, released ''[[A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995–1997]]'' in January 1998.<ref>{{cite web
 | last = McMahan
 | first = Tim
 |date=December 1998
 | url = http://www.timmcmahan.com/brighteyes.htm
 | title = ''Growing Up in an Alt Rock World''
 | access-date = April 14, 2005
}}</ref> This was followed quickly by ''[[Letting Off the Happiness]]'', released in November of the same year. It featured members of numerous bands and was recorded in the Oberst family basement. One year later, Bright Eyes released its first EP, ''[[Every Day and Every Night]]''. Bright Eyes' third album, ''[[Fevers and Mirrors]]'' was released in May 2000; it was ranked 170 on [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'s list of the top 200 albums of the 2000s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7706-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-200-151/4/|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|author=|title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200-151|date=September 28, 2009|access-date=October 1, 2009|archive-date=October 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016153330/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7706-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-200-151/4/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With the release of 2002's ''[[Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground]]'', Bright Eyes received national attention and Oberst was proclaimed a breakthrough artist by several notable magazines. On January 25, 2005, Bright Eyes simultaneously released two new albums: the folk ''[[I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning]]'' and more electronic-pop ''[[Digital Ash in a Digital Urn]]''. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' listed ''I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning'' as one of the top ten albums of 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine
 | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]
 | url = http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1142059,00.html
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051223171735/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1142059,00.html
 | url-status = dead
 | archive-date = December 23, 2005
 | title = Best of 2005: Music
 | access-date = August 5, 2006
 | date=December 16, 2005
}}</ref>

The ''[[Four Winds (EP)|Four Winds]]'' EP was released in March 2007, followed by their seventh album, ''[[Cassadaga (album)|Cassadaga]]'' in April. The song "Four Winds" was named a top 100 song of 2007 by ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Oberst spent the next two years focusing on other music projects, and in June 2009 told ''Rolling Stone'' he wanted to make one final album with Bright Eyes before retiring the group. The band subsequently released ''[[The People's Key]]'' on Conor's 31st birthday, February 15, 2011.

In January 2020 the band announced their return to both touring and recording after a nine-year hiatus,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thisisbrighteyes.com/|title=Bright Eyes|website=Thisisbrighteyes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2020/01/21/bright-eyes-2020-return|title=Bright Eyes are back, baby!|website=Diymag.com|date=January 21, 2020 }}</ref> and released their tenth album ''[[Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was]]'' on August 21, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/bright-eyes-down-in-the-weeds-where-the-world-once-was/|title=Bright Eyes: Down in the Weeds, where the World Once Was Album Review|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|author=|date=August 20, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref>

===Desaparecidos (2001–2002, 2010, 2012–2015)===
{{Main|Desaparecidos (band)}}
Oberst is a guitarist and singer for [[Desaparecidos (band)|Desaparecidos]]. The music and lyrics of Desaparecidos differ greatly from Bright Eyes, having more in common with [[punk rock]] than Oberst's usual [[folk rock]]. The lyrics are generally [[social commentary]] on the state of affairs in [[United States of America|America]] and the pitfalls of the suburban lifestyle, as opposed to the more introspective lyrics of Bright Eyes. Desaparecidos was active as a band between 2001–2002, they re-grouped for several one off shows in the Omaha area during the early 2010's before reuniting fully between 2012–2015. Their debut album ''[[Read Music/Speak Spanish|Read Music / Speak Spanish]]'', was released on February 12, 2002. A second full length album ''[[Payola (Desaparecidos album)|Payola]]'', was released on June 23, 2015.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Ryan Reed |date=April 6, 2015 |title=Conor Oberst Plots New LP With Revived Punk Band |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/conor-oberst-plots-new-lp-with-revived-punk-band-20150406 |access-date=May 18, 2015 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Eric Torres |date=May 14, 2015 |title=Conor Oberst's Band Desaparecidos Announce Tour |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/59585-conor-obersts-band-desaparecidos-announce-tour/ |access-date=May 18, 2015 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref>

===Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (2007–2012)===
{{Main|Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band}}
In November 2007, it was reported that Oberst would work on a solo record with [[Jake Bellows]], and that he and [[M. Ward]] would start a band<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.omahacityweekly.com/article.php?id=4286| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071214114810/http://www.omahacityweekly.com/article.php?id=4286| url-status = dead| archive-date = December 14, 2007| title = Waiting For 'Free Life'| author = Hildy Johnson| work = Omaha City Weekly| access-date = January 27, 2008}}</ref> and perform two late December shows in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/47290-bright-eyes-oberst-forms-band-with-m-ward| title = Bright Eyes' Oberst Forms Band With M. Ward?| author = Matthew Solarski| website = [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]| date = November 27, 2007| access-date = January 27, 2008| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080113025943/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/47290-bright-eyes-oberst-forms-band-with-m-ward| archive-date = January 13, 2008| df = mdy-all}}</ref> Contrary to what was believed, the shows were not played with M. Ward, but rather with Nik Freitas and [[Jason Boesel]].<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/12926476.html| title = Indie rock's Conor Oberst still bright at 400 Bar| author = Chris Riemenschneider| work = [[Star Tribune]]| date = December 30, 2007| access-date = January 27, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231101357/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/12926476.html|archive-date=December 31, 2007}}</ref> They also played a show in February in [[Mexico City]], Mexico.

On March 31, 2008, it was announced that Conor Oberst would play at the 2008 Reading and Leeds Festivals. He also performed at the [[Electric Picnic]], in [[County Laois]], Ireland, on August 31, 2008, the Cains Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and ''Austin City Limits'' in late September 2008, shows across Australia in early October 2008, and the Warfield Theater in San Francisco October 24. Oberst also headlined the Friday night slot of the [[End of the Road Festival]] at the [[Larmer Tree Gardens]] in Wiltshire, held over the weekend of September 12–14, 2008.

Conor Oberst released the self-titled album ''[[Conor Oberst (album)|Conor Oberst]]'', which was recorded in [[Tepoztlán]], [[Morelos]], Mexico, with [[Taylor Hollingsworth]] on guitar and Macey Taylor on bass, on August 5, 2008, on Merge Records.

In about mid-October, the band sold a new EP, ''[[Gentleman's Pact]]''. It was limited to 1000 copies and was only available on tour. The band placed limitations on how many were sold at shows. It has four unreleased tracks. Three of them are pre-album songs while "Corina, Corina" is a cover of a traditional folk song.

Oberst and the band released their second album, ''[[Outer South]]'', on May 5, 2009, on [[Merge Records]]. They have also released a documentary, ''[[One of My Kind]]'', following the band from Conor's solo album to their most recent album ''[[One of My Kind]]''.

===Monsters of Folk (2009)===
{{Main|Monsters of Folk}}
Conor Oberst is one of the four members of the band [[Monsters of Folk]]. Other band members include [[Jim James]] of [[My Morning Jacket]], [[M. Ward]] and fellow [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]] member [[Mike Mogis]]. The band members swap instruments and share vocal duties. The quartet released their self-titled debut album on September 22, 2009.{{update after|2009|09|21}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/bright-eyes/45304 |title=Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket and M Ward launch Monsters of Folk &#124; News |website=Nme.com |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=August 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120165443/https://www.nme.com/news/bright-eyes/45304|archive-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref>

===Solo work (2008–present)===
Oberst released his first solo album, Water, in the form of a cassette tape when he was just 13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/featured/conor-oberst-cover-story-interview-may-2014/|title=Conor Oberst Has Cheered Up|date=May 19, 2014|website=Spin.com}}</ref> However, this album is difficult to find and is no longer sold.
His second solo album was 2008's self-titled ''Conor Oberst''. Throughout the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013, Oberst embarked on a solo tour of North America and Europe performing with [[Ben Brodin]] on guitar and vibraphone. On the tour, he played songs from Bright Eyes, Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk as well as playing new songs.

Oberst released a new solo record, titled ''[[Upside Down Mountain]]'', on May 19, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|website=Pitchfork.com|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/53917-conor-oberst-announces-new-album-upside-down-mountain-and-tour-shares-hundreds-of-ways/|date=February 11, 2014|title=Conor Oberst announces new album Upside Down Mountain and tour}}</ref> He has been working with producer Jonathan Wilson (Dawes, Father John Misty) and Swedish duo [[First Aid Kit (band)|First Aid Kit]].<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Patrick Doyle |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/conor-obersts-new-morning-bright-eyes-hits-nashville-for-solo-lp-20140131 |title=Conor Oberst's New Morning: Bright Eyes Hits Nashville for Solo LP &#124; Music News |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=2014-05-19}}</ref>

On October 14, 2016, Oberst released his seventh studio solo record, titled ''[[Ruminations (album)|Ruminations]]'', on Nonesuch Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/conor-oberst-ruminations-solo-acoustic-album-october-14-nonesuch-2016-08-03 |title=Conor Oberst's "Ruminations," New Solo Acoustic Album, Available October 14 on Nonesuch |website=Nonesuch.com|date=August 3, 2016 }}</ref>

On January 18, 2017, Oberst announced a companion album to ''[[Ruminations (album)|Ruminations]]'', called ''[[Salutations (album)|Salutations]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conoroberst.com/salutations/|title=Conor Oberst Announces New Album "Salutations" - Conor Oberst|date=January 18, 2017|website=Conoroberst.com}}</ref>

===Better Oblivion Community Center (2019)===
{{Main|Better Oblivion Community Center}}
[[File:Better Oblivion Community Center at the Showbox.jpg|thumb|320px|Oberst and Bridgers performing as Better Oblivion Community Center in 2019]]
Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers revealed their oft rumored new band, [[Better Oblivion Community Center]], on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on January 23, 2019, and released their [[Better Oblivion Community Center (album)|eponymous debut album]] at midnight on January 24, 2019 (out via Dead Oceans).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnewsnet.com/2019/01/better-oblivion-community-center-phoebe-bridgers-conor-oberst-surprise-drop-long-rumored-debut-album.html|title=BETTER OBLIVION COMMUNITY CENTER: Phoebe Bridgers & Conor Oberst Surprise Drop Long Rumored Debut #Album|website=Musicnewsnet.com|access-date=February 22, 2019|archive-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124205349/https://www.musicnewsnet.com/2019/01/better-oblivion-community-center-phoebe-bridgers-conor-oberst-surprise-drop-long-rumored-debut-album.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Band members include guitarist [[Nick Zinner]] from [[Yeah Yeah Yeahs]] and drummer [[Carla Azar]] from [[Autolux]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2029659/watch-conor-oberst-phoebe-bridgers-debut-better-oblivion-community-center-on-colbert/video/|title=Watch Conor Oberst & Phoebe Bridgers Debut Better Oblivion Community Center On Colbert|website=Stereogum|date=January 24, 2019}}</ref>

==Other projects==
===Saddle Creek records===
Oberst is one of the founding members of the [[independent record label]] [[Saddle Creek Records]], an integral part of [[Music of Omaha#Indie rock music|Omaha's indie rock scene]], which hosts bands such as [[Cursive (band)|Cursive]], [[Desaparecidos (band)|Desaparecidos]], [[The Faint]] (which left to start its own label Blank.wav), [[Rilo Kiley]] (which left to start its own label Brute-Beaute Records), [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]], [[Two Gallants (band)|Two Gallants]], [[Son, Ambulance]], [[Azure Ray]], [[The Good Life (band)|The Good Life]], [[Sorry About Dresden]], and [[Big Thief]] among others.

===Team Love records===
Oberst co-founded the [[Team Love Records|Team Love]] record label (along with Nate Krenkel, longtime manager of Bright Eyes) to "do different things, or smaller things, that we couldn't get everyone to be into at the same time" at Saddle Creek.<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111700475_2.html
| title = A Musical Vision Comes into Focus
| author = Richard Harrington
| newspaper = The Washington Post
| date = November 18, 2005
| access-date = May 23, 2007
}}</ref> such as [[Tilly and the Wall]], [[Willy Mason]], [[The Felice Brothers]], [[David Dondero]], [[Taylor Hollingsworth]] and [[Jenny Lewis]]' solo album with [[The Watson Twins]].

===Pageturners Lounge===
Oberst opened Pageturners Lounge, a bar, with Philip Schaffart in 2012. Pageturners Lounge is located in the [[Dundee-Happy Hollow Historic District|Dundee]] neighborhood in [[Omaha, NE|Omaha]]. The business name is a holdover from the bookstore that formerly occupied the space.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://www.omaha.com/go/review-conor-oberst-opened-bar-is-a-smart-stylish-dundee/article_ac569b08-aba6-5c4c-9f01-b5f161459766.html
| title = Review: Conor Oberst-opened bar is a smart, stylish Dundee hotspot
| newspaper = Omaha World-Herald
| date = April 10, 2014
| access-date = February 7, 2017
}}</ref>

== Music style and influences ==
Oberst was drawn to music at a very early age, due in part to his brother Matt's penchant for bands like [[The Smiths]], [[R.E.M.]], [[Fugazi]], and [[The Cure]]. He has cited The Cure's first singles collection, ''[[Staring at the Sea]]'', as the first record he ever bought, as well as being one of his favorites. "It must have been third grade&nbsp;... I bought the [[compact cassette|cassette]] at a local record store chain called Homer's in Omaha. I just loved the sound of [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith's]] voice. It just sounded good."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/myfirstalbum/story/8857226/conor_oberst_of_bright_eyes_on_the_cures_standing_on_a_beach?rnd=1141186879185&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040|title=Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes on the Cure's Standing on a Beach|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 22, 2005|access-date=January 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001201539/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/myfirstalbum/story/8857226/conor_oberst_of_bright_eyes_on_the_cures_standing_on_a_beach?rnd=1141186879185&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040|archive-date=October 1, 2007}}</ref>

Some of his biggest influences and favorite songwriters are local musicians [[David Dondero]] and [[Simon Joyner]].<ref>[http://cwas.hinah.com/interview/?id=30 Comes With A Smile – Interview: Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst) by Mariko Sakamoto] Retrieved on January 4, 2008.</ref> Joyner wrote the song "Burn Rubber", which Bright Eyes covered on the "[[Take It Easy (Love Nothing)]]" single. The two used to do mini-tours together, usually on weekends due to Joyner having a family.

Oberst has also been heavily influenced by the 1960s [[folk revival]], mentioning [[Neil Young]], [[Leonard Cohen]], and country singers [[Emmylou Harris]], [[John Prine]] and [[Townes Van Zandt]].<ref name="Ferguson">{{cite interview
| subject       = Conor Oberst
| interviewer   = [[Craig Ferguson]]
| title       = [[The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson]]
}}</ref> Harris sang on a few tracks on Bright Eyes' ''[[I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning]]''. As a prolific and well-known musician in the folk genre, he has sometimes been defined as "a new [[Bob Dylan]]." He covered Neil Young's "[[Out on the Weekend]]", collaborating with [[Mike Mogis]], [[Jim James]] and [[M. Ward]] in concert. He performed the Townes Van Zandt song "Rex's Blues" live with fellow musician [[Steve Earle]]. He has also performed two of John Prine's songs live, "Crazy as a Loon" and "Wedding Day in Funerville".<ref name="Block">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4285614|title=A Chat with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes|first=Melissa|last=Block|website=Npr.org|date=January 14, 2005}}</ref>

Oberst was greatly influenced by [[Daniel Johnston]], whose "Devil Town" was covered and featured on ''[[Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998–2005)|Noise Floor]]'', and profoundly influenced by [[Elliott Smith]], stating in an October 22, 2003 ''All Things Considered'' interview that, "sometimes when you're not feeling good, you have to listen to really sad music like Elliott Smith's" and that [Smith] "wrote the sweetest, saddest, most gentle songs". Oberst also said he liked to "listen to Elliott Smith's songs when he [couldn't] find anyone to talk to on the phone" and thought that it was sad that "through his music, [Smith] had the ability to answer feelings in others that he was unable to answer in himself".<ref>[http://www-cdn.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1475177 Singer Elliott Smith Dead in Apparent Suicide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727132505/http://www-cdn.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1475177 |date=July 27, 2011 }} Retrieved on May 30, 2009.</ref> A live cover of Smith's "The Biggest Lie" is featured on ''[[Motion Sickness (album)|Motion Sickness]]''. Oberst also has described the late singer-songwriter [[Vic Chesnutt|Vic Chestnutt]] as “one of the greatest ever,” and Bright Eyes released a cover of Chestnutt’s song “Flirted with You All My Life” in 2021.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=2021-02-24 |title=Bright Eyes Take on Vic Chestnutt's Heart-Wrenching 'Flirted With You All My Life' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bright-eyes-take-on-vic-chestnutts-heart-wrenching-flirted-with-you-all-my-life-1132606/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In the 2000s, Oberst was in a relationship with singer-songwriter [[Maria Taylor (musician)|Maria Taylor]] for seven years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/10850/|title=New Kid on the Block|website=New York Magazine|last=Williams|first=Paige|author-link=Paige Williams (author)|date=January 6, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://rocknycliveandrecorded.com/the-maria-taylor-interview-i-married-a-republican-and-other-stories-from-the-deep-south.html|title=The Maria Taylor Interview: "I Married A Republican" And Other Stories From The Deep South|newspaper=Rock NYC|language=en-US|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202051203/http://rocknycliveandrecorded.com/the-maria-taylor-interview-i-married-a-republican-and-other-stories-from-the-deep-south.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

In 2010, Oberst married Corina Figueroa Escamilla, whom he met in 2008 while recording music in Mexico. They separated amicably in 2017.<ref name="fader-bright">{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/06/23/bright-eyes-at-the-end-of-the-world-again-down-in-the-weeds-where-the-world-once-was-profile-interview|title=Bright Eyes at the end of the world again|website=The Fader|date=June 23, 2020}}</ref>

He lives in Omaha.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/arts/music/conor-oberst-bright-eyes-favorites.html | title=Conor Oberst's Week: Listening to 'Moby-Dick' and Watching Not-So-Dark TV | work=The New York Times | date=August 18, 2020 | last1=Gordon | first1=Jeremy }}</ref>

In December 2013, Oberst was accused of sexual assault by a female fan, leading to widespread media coverage.<ref name=Paste>{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/08/conor-oberst-opens-up-about-impact-of-rape-allegat.html|title=Conor Oberst Opens Up About Impact of Rape Allegation, Brother's Death|website=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|date=August 11, 2017}}</ref> However, by July 2014, she had retracted the accusation, stating that the accusations were "100% false" and that "my actions were wrong and could undermine the claims of actual sexual assault victims, and for that I also apologize".<ref name="Vice2">{{cite web |last1=Ozzi |first1=Dan |title=Conor Oberst's Long Few Years |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/conor-obersts-long-few-years/ |website=Vice |date=August 10, 2017 |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref> Of the period in his life, Oberst said "I'm not violent towards anyone&nbsp;... And for a second, to have the whole world think that [the allegations were] true about me just did a number on my psyche." He also went on to emphasize that he did not want to minimize how frequently women are sexually assaulted and said that "as painful and surreal and fucked up as my situation was, I don't ever want to use this as an example to justify anything."<ref name="Vice2"/>

Oberst's brother Matthew died suddenly on November 27, 2016, in [[Cary, North Carolina]], where he was a schoolteacher. He was 42.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/cary-nc/matthew-oberst-7187398|title=Obituary Matthew Ryan Oberst|website=Dignitymemorial.com}}</ref>

===Health===
On October 28, 2015, in the midst of Desaparecidos' tour for their second studio album ''Payola'', it was announced that Oberst had been hospitalized due to "[[laryngitis]], anxiety, and exhaustion", according to a press release. The entirety of Desaparecidos' remaining tour dates were cancelled and Oberst returned to his hometown of Omaha to recuperate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1840537/conor-oberst-hospitalized-desaparecidos-cancel-tour/news/ |title=Conor Oberst Hospitalized, Desaparecidos Cancel Tour |website=[[Stereogum]] |first=James |last=Rettig |date=2015-10-28 |accessdate=2016-08-03}}</ref>

In September 2024, Oberst lost his voice after Bright Eyes completed three warm-up shows in preparation for their tour in support of ''[[Five Dice, All Threes]]''. The band cancelled its next three shows "to prioritise rest and recuperation for the remainder of the month".<ref>{{cite web |last=Dunworth |first=Liberty |date=September 19, 2024 |title=Bright Eyes cancel record release shows after Conor Oberst loses voice |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/bright-eyes-cancel-record-release-shows-after-conor-oberst-loses-voice-3795079 |access-date=September 21, 2024 |work=[[NME]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> On September 27, Bright Eyes cancelled all of their 2024 tour dates following medical tests which determined Oberst "developed a condition that is exacerbated by excessive singing, requiring both treatment and recuperation".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=September 28, 2024 |title=Bright Eyes Cancel 2024 Tour Dates as Conor Oberst Requires Treatment for "Vocal Problems" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/bright-eyes-cancel-2024-tour-dates-as-conor-oberst-requires-treatment-for-vocal-problems/ |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Willman">{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=September 28, 2024 |title=Bright Eyes Cancels Remaining 2024 Concert Dates After Alarming Tour Kickoff, Says Conor Oberst Will Be Treated for 'Vocal Problems' |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/bright-eyes-cancels-tour-dates-conor-oberst-treatment-vocal-problems-1236158865/ |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The band's second show, in Cleveland, sparked concern from fans after Oberst appeared to be heavily intoxicated and, while slurring his words, expressed frustration with his strained voice and subsequently joked about killing himself.<ref name="Willman" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Holub |first=Christian |date=September 19, 2024 |title=Bright Eyes cancel concerts timed to new album 'on the advice of doctors' |url=https://ew.com/bright-eyes-cancel-concerts-timed-to-new-album-on-the-advice-of-doctors-8715335 |access-date=2024-09-30 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> On October 23, Oberst posted a video message in which he thanked fans for their messages of support and reported "feeling a lot better".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Amanda |date=October 23, 2024 |title=Conor Oberst "feeling better," says Bright Eyes will resume tour in 2025 |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/conor-oberst-feeling-better-says-bright-eyes-will-resume-tour-in-2025/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=[[BrooklynVegan]]}}</ref> Bright Eyes resumed their tour in January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pilley |first=Max |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Watch Bright Eyes return to the stage after recovery and play 'June On The West Coast' for the first time in 14 years |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-bright-eyes-return-to-the-stage-after-recovery-and-play-june-on-the-west-coast-for-the-first-time-in-14-years-3830008 |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=[[NME]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Conor Oberst discography}}
* ''[[Conor Oberst (album)|Conor Oberst]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Outer South]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Upside Down Mountain]]'' (2014)
* ''[[Ruminations (album)|Ruminations]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Salutations (album)|Salutations]]'' (2017)

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Conor Oberst}}
* {{discogs artist}}
* [http://www.conoroberst.com Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band]

{{Conor Oberst}}
{{Bright Eyes}}
{{Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band}}
{{The Faint}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oberst, Conor}}
[[Category:Conor Oberst| ]]
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