OHR Presents: The Tillers

Ozark Highlands Radio

This week, Cincinnati, Ohio based post-punk neo-folk acoustic oldtime string band The Tillers recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, interviews with The Tillers’ fearless leader, Mike Oberst. “The Tillers have been thumping their own distinctive sound of string band style folk music for a decade, riding it all over the country and across the sea. Four studio albums and one live record have won them praise as modern folk storytellers of the national soundscape. The band features Mike Oberst on banjo & vocals, Sean Geil on guitar & vocals, Joe Macheret on fiddle, and Aaron Geil on upright bass. “The Tillers got their start in August 2007 when they started thumping around with some banjos and guitars and a big wooden bass. Their look didn’t fit the stereotype. They were clearly recovering punk rockers with roots in city’s west side punk rock and hardcore scene. The punk influence gave their sound a distinctive bite, setting them apart from most other folk acts- a hard-driving percussive strum and stomp that brought new pulse and vinegar to some very old songs. But their musical range soon proved itself as they floated from hard-tackle thumping to tender graceful melody, all the while topped by Oberst and Geil’s clear tenor harmonies. “Musically, the band wears many hats. Their sound has proven to be an appropriate fit with a wide range of musical styles- traditional folk, bluegrass, jazz, punk rock and anything else they might run into. They have shared the stage with a broad swath of national touring acts, ranging from renowned folk legends such as Doc Watson, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Guy Clark, Country Joe McDonald, Jerry Douglas, Iris Dement, Pokey LaFarge, The Hackensaw Boys and The Carolina Chocolate Drops to rambunctious rock daredevils like the Legendary Shack Shakers.” www.the-tillers.com/bio In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original fiddler Sam Younger performing the traditional tune “Smoky Mountain Shuffle,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. Author, folklorist and songwriter Charley Sandage presents an historical portrait of the people, events and indomitable spirit of Ozark culture that resulted in the creation of the Ozark Folk Center State Park and its enduring legacy of music and craft. In this episode, Charley begins our celebration of 50 years of the Buffalo National River, America’s first national river.