Liz Berlin, guitarist/vocalist and co-founder of the band Rusted Root, said the secret of the group's longevity and health has to do with the freedom to pursue other artistic ventures.
"We've been together for 15 years, and we've always had the time to go do other things and then come back to the group," Berlin said by phone from a hotel in Omaha, Neb. "It helps us grow as a group but also as individuals."
Berlin will release her first solo album, "AudioBioGraphical," next month. And others in the band — guitarist/vocalist/co-founder Michael Glabicki, guitarist/percussionist Jenn Wertz and bassist Patrick Norman — are also getting ready for solo albums. In addition, guitarist John Buynak, who designs the art for all the Rusted Root albums, is readying some new art for his portfolio. (Drummer Jim Donovan left the band for personal reasons; Jason Miller will be playing drums during the Salt Lake performance.)
"These solo projects help us step back and keep ourselves grounded," Berlin said. "While we are all serious about the group, we can step back and approach things with a fresh angle when we come back after indulging in our own endeavors."
Berlin and Glabicki formed Rusted Root during their college days. "We actually met in high school. We didn't go to the same high school, but we were part of a citywide student political-activist group in Pittsburgh called YouthCry. He was already a great songwriter.
"Then in college, we both decided to get back together and seriously play music. And that's how it all began."
Berlin says she wasn't as prolific as Glabicki, but she had a wide musical background. "I was in choirs since I was a child. I have performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Opera. I got into the guitar when I began writing my own songs."
Berlin's father was a cantor in the local synagogue, and that's where she developed an exotic flavor for her vocals. "There were certain scales that I'd pick up from my dad. And that's where the Middle Eastern sounds come from in some of my vocal arrangements with Rusted Root."
In addition to vocal and guitar, Berlin took African drum lessons from Zaire's African Drum Ensemble. For "AudioBioGraphical," Berlin combined all of her musical influences and even included an a cappella version of "Evening Prayer" from Humperdinck's 1893 opera "Hansel & Gretel." "I've sung that song with my twin sister since we were 4 years old. And I wanted to include it on my album."
The solo album and being in Rusted Root have been the highlights of her life, said Berlin. "I do have a huge memory of being in this band. It was the time we found out that we were going to open the Jimmy Page/Robert Plant reunion show back in the mid-1990s.
"It was funny because I was on a huge Led Zeppelin kick and wanted to check out a Led Zep cover band, just to see the songs played live. And later that week, I was boarding our tour bus, and Patrick and Michael had these huge grins on their faces. I asked them what was up, and they said, 'Guess what our next tour is going to be.' They told me and I couldn't believe it.
"Then a few months later, we were there. I was able to sit in empty stadiums across the country and watch the band play their sound checks. It was amazing."
If you go
What: Rusted Root
Where: The Depot, 13 N. 400 West
When: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
How much: $20
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: scott@desnews.com