The Giving Tree Band
Encyclopedia
The Giving Tree Band is an American indie folk
-rock group started in 2004 by brothers Todd and Eric Fink and based in Yorkville, Illinois
. Though the group uses an instrumentation largely associated with bluegrass
and Americana
, their sound often drums up comparisons to such classic rock icons as The Band
, Neil Young
, Bob Dylan
, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and The Beatles
.
, The Beatles
, The Kinks
, and other rock bands during their childhood. The brothers played together and with family members, developing a taste for songwriting. After their college years, the brothers wished to hone their music theory and technique skills, and in 2001, they formed a jam band called Stone Samadhi, whose sound Eric described as "high energy, really weird jazz stuff".
After Stone Samadhi disbanded in 2003, the brothers wanted to get back to lyric-oriented music, in the genres of folk and country, and The Giving Tree Band was born from this decision.
The Giving Tree Band released their first full-length album - a double disc, entitled Unified Folk Theory - in 2007. The album features 33 songs of original material. In 2008, the band set out to record a carbon-neutral album, which was done at the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wisconsin
. The album was released in 2009, and was entitled Great Possessions, which was the working title of conservationist Aldo Leopold
's book, A Sand County Almanac
.
On September 21, 2010, the band released their third full-length album, The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious. The album spent multiple weeks on various Americana radio charts, peaking at number 15 on the Roots Music Report and number 40 on the Americana Airplay Chart. The album also received critical acclaim, including a spot on Acoustic Guitar Magazine
s "Best Acoustic Albums of 2010" list, as well as garnering positive reviews from such publications as Relix Magazine
, The Huffington Post
, and American Songwriter.
The group toured extensively in 2010, playing such notable festivals as South by Southwest
, Wakarusa
, the Philadelphia Folk Festival
, and Forecastle Festival
, along with such venues as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
and Millenium Park and the House of Blues
in Chicago
. When not touring, the band members all live together at a house in Yorkville, where they also record their albums.
with the musical abilities of The Band
." Reviewers have referred to their songwriting as having "Dylanesque imagery, John Prine-like aphorisms and Abbey Road-era Beatles overtones" and being "reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Neil Young". A review from the Nashville Metromix
described The Giving Tree Band as being "a neo-retro take on The Band
or the American answer to Mumford & Sons
".
They have recorded with renewable energy and package all their CD's with 100% recycled materials. The band's second full-length album, Great Possessions, was released on August 18, 2009. It was recorded with 100% solar energy at the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, WI. During the recording session, the band camped in a nearby state park and commuted over 500 miles by bicycle. The Chicago Sun-Times has called Great Possessions the "greenest of albums." National and international environmental media, such as The Sierra Club
, The Discovery Channel
and Mother Earth News
, have also highlighted the band's activism, with the latter referring to them as "the greenest band in the land".
Following the release of Great Possessions, the band began receiving international recognition, as news sources in countries as diverse as Mexico
, France
, Kuwait
, Lebanon
, Egypt
, China
, and Ecuador
reported on the making of the album and the band's other environmental initiatives. These international sources put the group's environmental efforts as being on par with those of popular rock artists Radiohead
and Kings of Leon
.
In an interview with Vegetarian Times
magazine, Todd Fink mentioned that the band members follow a vegan
diet. In July 2010, the band was also named as one of the "Top Ten Great Vegan Activists" by Vegan Mainstream, a prominent blog
site for vegan living. The list also includes Natalie Portman
, Ellen Degeneres
, and Alicia Silverstone
.
In 2011, the group announced that they will be appearing on a compilation album entitled Home on the Range alongside such artists as Moby
, Matisyahu
, Nellie McKay
and others, with the album due to be released in September 2011. The compilation album is the project of the Compassionate Farming Education Initiative, and proceeds from the album will benefit farm animal sanctuaries.
Unified Folk Theory (2007)
Bring It Back Home For Christmas (2008)
Great Possessions (2009)
The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious (2010)
Indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s from singer/songwriters in the indie rock community showing heavy influences from folk music scenes of the 50s, 60s and early 70s, country music, and indie rock. A few early artists included Lou Barlow, Beck, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith...
-rock group started in 2004 by brothers Todd and Eric Fink and based in Yorkville, Illinois
Yorkville, Illinois
Yorkville is a city located in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,189 at the 2000 United States Census and is estimated to be 16,505, . It is the county seat of Kendall County...
. Though the group uses an instrumentation largely associated with bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
and Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
, their sound often drums up comparisons to such classic rock icons as The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
History
The Giving Tree Band was started by brothers Todd and Eric Fink, whose father played piano and exposed them to The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, and other rock bands during their childhood. The brothers played together and with family members, developing a taste for songwriting. After their college years, the brothers wished to hone their music theory and technique skills, and in 2001, they formed a jam band called Stone Samadhi, whose sound Eric described as "high energy, really weird jazz stuff".
After Stone Samadhi disbanded in 2003, the brothers wanted to get back to lyric-oriented music, in the genres of folk and country, and The Giving Tree Band was born from this decision.
The Giving Tree Band released their first full-length album - a double disc, entitled Unified Folk Theory - in 2007. The album features 33 songs of original material. In 2008, the band set out to record a carbon-neutral album, which was done at the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau...
. The album was released in 2009, and was entitled Great Possessions, which was the working title of conservationist Aldo Leopold
Aldo Leopold
Aldo Leopold was an American author, scientist, ecologist, forester, and environmentalist. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin and is best known for his book A Sand County Almanac , which has sold over two million copies...
's book, A Sand County Almanac
A Sand County Almanac
A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There is a 1949 non-fiction book by American ecologist, forester, and environmentalist Aldo Leopold. Describing the land around the author's home in Sauk County, Wisconsin, the collection of essays advocate Leopold's idea of a "land ethic", or a...
.
On September 21, 2010, the band released their third full-length album, The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious. The album spent multiple weeks on various Americana radio charts, peaking at number 15 on the Roots Music Report and number 40 on the Americana Airplay Chart. The album also received critical acclaim, including a spot on Acoustic Guitar Magazine
Acoustic Guitar (magazine)
Acoustic Guitar is a monthly magazine published in the United States since July/August 1990 by String Letter Publishing. The magazine offers information related to acoustic guitars for players of all levels from beginners to teachers. Each issue includes a half dozen or so songs with notation and...
s "Best Acoustic Albums of 2010" list, as well as garnering positive reviews from such publications as Relix Magazine
Relix
Relix magazine was launched in 1974 as newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concerts. It rapidly expanded into a music magazine covering a wide amount of artists...
, The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
, and American Songwriter.
The group toured extensively in 2010, playing such notable festivals as South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
, Wakarusa
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a four-day music festival held in early June at Mulberry Mountain near Ozark, Arkansas. The festival has been held annually since 2004....
, the Philadelphia Folk Festival
Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philadelphia Folk Festival is an annual folk music festival near Schwenksville, Pennsylvania in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Begun in 1962, the four-day festival is sponsored by the non-profit Philadelphia Folksong Society. The event hosts contemporary and traditional artists in genres...
, and Forecastle Festival
Forecastle Festival
The Forecastle Festival is a three-day music, art, and environmental activism festival held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, since 2002. The festival originated as a small gathering of local musicians in Louisville's Tyler Park, and steadily grew into a national attraction that now includes major...
, along with such venues as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Millenium Park and the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. When not touring, the band members all live together at a house in Yorkville, where they also record their albums.
Instrumentation and Sound
The band uses a multitude of acoustic instruments, including guitar, banjo, upright bass, violin, mandolin, slide guitar, and drums. During their November 3, 2008 appearance on WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, host Michael Johnathon described them as having "the spirit of Pete SeegerPete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
with the musical abilities of The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
." Reviewers have referred to their songwriting as having "Dylanesque imagery, John Prine-like aphorisms and Abbey Road-era Beatles overtones" and being "reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Neil Young". A review from the Nashville Metromix
Metromix
Metromix is a network of local entertainment websites backed by a joint venture between media companies Gannett and Tribune Co. A guide to local restaurants, bars and clubs, events, concerts and movies, Metromix is currently available in over 60 markets. In late 2009, the company launched 27 new...
described The Giving Tree Band as being "a neo-retro take on The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
or the American answer to Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons are a British folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford , Ben Lovett , Country Winston Marshall , and Ted Dwane...
".
Environmental Initiatives
The Giving Tree Band is also known for extraordinary environmental stewardship and eco-friendly music production. They use a number of instruments that were handmade from naturally fallen trees and reclaimed woods.They have recorded with renewable energy and package all their CD's with 100% recycled materials. The band's second full-length album, Great Possessions, was released on August 18, 2009. It was recorded with 100% solar energy at the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, WI. During the recording session, the band camped in a nearby state park and commuted over 500 miles by bicycle. The Chicago Sun-Times has called Great Possessions the "greenest of albums." National and international environmental media, such as The Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, The Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
and Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News is a bi-monthly American magazine that has a circulation of 475,000. It is based in Topeka, Kansas.Approaching environmental problems from a down-to-earth, practical, how-to standpoint, Mother Earth News has, since the magazine’s founding in 1970, been a pioneer in the promotion...
, have also highlighted the band's activism, with the latter referring to them as "the greenest band in the land".
Following the release of Great Possessions, the band began receiving international recognition, as news sources in countries as diverse as Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
reported on the making of the album and the band's other environmental initiatives. These international sources put the group's environmental efforts as being on par with those of popular rock artists Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
and Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
.
In an interview with Vegetarian Times
Vegetarian Times
Vegetarian Times is a monthly magazine published nine times a year by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. The magazine's audience consists of vegetarians and "flexitarians" who are focused on a healthy lifestyle. Vegetarian Times promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle with recipes, wellness information, cooking...
magazine, Todd Fink mentioned that the band members follow a vegan
Veganism
Veganism is the practice of eliminating the use of animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only...
diet. In July 2010, the band was also named as one of the "Top Ten Great Vegan Activists" by Vegan Mainstream, a prominent blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
site for vegan living. The list also includes Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
, Ellen Degeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
, and Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone is an American actress, author, and former fashion model. She first came to widespread attention in music videos for Aerosmith, and is perhaps best known for her roles in Hollywood films such as Clueless and her portrayal of Batgirl in Batman & Robin .-Early life:Silverstone...
.
In 2011, the group announced that they will be appearing on a compilation album entitled Home on the Range alongside such artists as Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
, Nellie McKay
Nellie McKay
Nellie McKay , is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and former stand-up comedienne, noted for her critically acclaimed albums, and for her Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera , for which she won a Theatre World Award...
and others, with the album due to be released in September 2011. The compilation album is the project of the Compassionate Farming Education Initiative, and proceeds from the album will benefit farm animal sanctuaries.
Discography
Unified Folk Theory (2007)
Bring It Back Home For Christmas (2008)
Great Possessions (2009)
The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious (2010)