Representative Albums: "Remember", "Rusted Root Live", "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rusted Root
Biography
Multi-instrumentalist group Rusted Root integrate the Grateful Dead's jam-heavy rock with percussion influences based on the music of Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The six-piece formed in Pittsburgh in 1990 with Michael Glabicki (vocals, guitar), Liz Berlin (vocals, percussion), Patrick Norman (bass, vocals), and Jim Donovan (drums, percussion) as the initial lineup, though John Buynak (percussion, winds) and Jim DiSpirito (percussion) joined later that year. Rusted Root's self-produced debut album, When I Woke, appeared in 1994 on Polygram. With support from college radio and a good buzz from the band's entrancing live show, When I Woke became quite successful in alternative circles during 1995-1996, especially with singles such as "Send Me on My Way" and "Ecstasy." In mid-1996, Rusted Root released the Evil Ways EP, a compilation of live tracks with the band's contributions to the movies Twister and Home for the Holidays. The group's second album, Remember, followed in October. Produced by Jerry Harrison, it reached the Top 40 in its first week of release. A self-titled LP followed in 1998. After some time off, Rusted Root returned with Welcome to My Party in 2002 before leaving the world of major labels behind and releasing the 2004 album Rusted Root Live on their own indie imprint, Touchy Pegg. Breaking the seven-year wait for a new studio album, Stereo Rodeo landed in 2009. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
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Rusted Root formed in 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and made its indie record debut in 1992 with Cruel Sun, which was rereleased in 2002. The group's major-label debut album was 1994's When I Woke, a hit on college radio and a platinum record. The album hit the top 40 in early 1995, peaking at #33. Along with their inspiring live shows, Rusted Root began working on contributions to the movies Twister and Home for the Holidays. Their next studio album was Remember (1996), followed by Rusted Root (1998) and Welcome to My Party (2002). Welcome to My Party was criticized by fans, who are affectionately known as Rootheads. Many felt the band's departure from tribal grooves to a poppier feel was an attempt to sell out. Remember reached the Top 40 in the US, while Rusted Root found its sales buoyed by the use of the band's cover of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on an episode of Ally McBeal. A live double album followed in 2004. Its greatest-hits album was released in April 2005 as part of Universal Music's 20th Century Masters series. The band has released three EPs, Evil Ways, Airplane, and Live, which came packaged with a documentary video cassette.
Rusted Root's "Send Me On My Way," which hit #72 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995 [1] is its most commercially popular song. It was used on the soundtracks of Matilda; Ice Age; the 1996 film Pie in the Sky; the film Race the Sun; YTV Canada's Are We There Yet?: World Adventure; and the Boy Scouts of America, Order of the Arrow Philmont Trail Crew promotional video that was released in the late 1990s. Its music has also appeared on the television shows Party of Five and Homicide.
Although the band continues to tour, its hard-touring days appear to be over as the group is devoting more time apart to pursue solo projects. Michael Glabicki released a solo album (Uprooted) as have Liz Berlin (AudioBioGraphical), Patrick Norman (Digital World), and Jenn Wertz with her band Isabella (also of Lovechild) and current release Shotgun Sessions. Former percussionist Jim DiSpirito released Big Silence[2] in 2003.
On his own, drummer Jim Donovan has released five highly acclaimed solo CDs as well as four instructional drumming CDs. His newest releases include Drum the Ecstatic International, The Yoga of Drum and Chant, and a hand-drumming instructional series called Rhythmic Foundation Volumes 1 and 2. Fulfilling his desire to share the power of rhythm, Donovan has built a series of educational drumming workshop programs that he teaches across the US and Europe at universities, festivals, schools, corporations, and specialty venues. Donovan has recently became a full-time instructor of music at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, and is the current director of the Saint Francis University World Drumming Ensemble. Donovan is also a featured monthly columnist in Drum! Magazine.
In June 2009, Rusted Root returned to the Molson Canal Concert Series, which is now hosted by Lockport, New York, following the decision by North Tonawanda Mayor Larry Soos to terminate the Canal Concert Series in North Tonawanda.