An evocative songwriter known for his intricate fingerstyle guitar work, Rob Kneisler has been an active presence on the Seattle acoustic music scene since emigrating from Michigan in the mid-1990s. Over the past decade, six of his compositions have garnered recognition from regional songwriting competitions, and Kneisler has at last rewarded followers with studio recording of these songs and others on his debut full-length album, Lift Me Up, which debuted at #35 on Folk Alliance International Folk Radio Chart - September 2020.

As his own songs collected awards, Kneisler also gained notoriety for his annual Bruce Cockburn tribute concerts featuring a rotating cast of performers. Listeners who hear this influence in the instrumental work on Lift Me Up may appreciate learning that Kneisler owns a literal duplicate of one of Cockburn’s custom guitars built by master luthier Linda Manzer—the top is even cut from the same piece of wood. Mix this with what Kneisler has gleaned from his time in the maritime trio The Whateverly Brothers and a deep appreciation for the histories of his native Michigan and longtime Northwest home, and Lift Me Up becomes an engaging work all its own.