Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst of Saddle Creek Records

Mike Mogis of Saddle Creek Records

Saddle Creek Records was born in 1993 in Omaha, Nebraska by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst. It was originally named Lumberjack Records and was a project in a college class on entrepreneurship. Its name was later changed to “Saddle Creek” after a street in midtown Omaha, where its first artists were discovered.


Shortly after its beginnings, Mike Mogis left the company and passed his role onto Robb Nansel, who is the owner and president Saddle Creek today. The record label found its beginnings in the same city it was founded—Omaha—signing artists like Bright Eyes (whose credited members include Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott, and Conor Oberst), Tim Kasher (Slowdown Virginia, Cursive, and The Good Life), as well as others.


In 2001, Saddle Creek signed its first non-Omaha-based artists—Now It’s Overhead and Sorry About Dresden. Since then, many more outside bands and artists have joined up with Saddle Creek. In 2007, Saddle Creek opened up its first music venue in downtown Omaha. Named Showdown, the venue provides live music, apartments, restaurants, and shops.


The label is still growing today. It has kept many of its original artists, like Oberst and Kasher, and has also branched out. Its current artists include Bright Eyes, The Desaparecidos, Broken Spindles, Cursive, The Good Life, The Myrnabirds, and more.