RUSTED ROOT SINGER LEAVES

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Jenn Wertz & Michael Glabicki
Veteran musician and Rusted Root member Jenn Wertz will be parting ways with the remaining band members in a touring and recording capacity early this March.

Wertz will join Rusted Root for her final tour which began February 7 and will conclude with her final two shows at the House of Blues in Chicago on March 2 and 3.

"I have been extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to share the stage with such a diversely talented group of people," says Wertz, "at the same time I am feeling so positive about the future and I am on a real creative spin with my band Isabella, getting great feedback, and really just loving to play with the guys again."

Wertz, known for her bluesy vocals and harmonica playing, co-wrote and contributed to four albums during her time with the band. She says, "I love playing with Rusted Root live the best. I will really miss it, especially the audience, Rusted Root fans are the most energetically generous fans. I will miss that connection."

Rusted Root, based out of Pittsburgh, hit it big in 1995 with their album, When I Woke featuring their hit single, "Send Me On My Way." Jenn Wertz was a member of Rusted Root since their beginnings in 1990, and left the band in 1995. After forming her band Isabella in 2000 she rejoined Rusted Root at the request of band leader, Michael Glabicki.

Jenn plans to resume work with her rock band, Isabella, writing and performing new songs.

http://myspace.com/jennwertz

[Published on: 2/13/07]
 

Comments

icculus2811 Tue 2/13/2007 12:12PM
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Glad I got to catch the Rock-chester show before Jenn leaves then. RR shows have always been a bit better with Jenn in the line-up. Hope this doesn't hamper future RR endeavors. We'll miss you Jenn!

shacklefordwantsapizza Tue 2/13/2007 12:25PM
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as much as i used to enjoy these folks, i'm kinda glad to see jenn move along, she's an amazing voice and i don't think that her being paired with mike was conducive to her personal and artistic growth. Just my $0.02

TravlynnJoe Tue 2/13/2007 12:42PM
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TravlynnJoe

02/13 Hartford, CT Webster Hall
02/14 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
02/16 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom
02/17 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
02/18 Providence, RI Lupos
02/20 Wantagh, NY Mulchahy's
02/22 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
02/23 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
02/24 New York, NY Nokia Theatre
02/25 Sayerville, NJ Starland Ballroom
02/28 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
03/01 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
03/02 Chicago, IL House of Blues
03/03 Chicago, IL House of Blues
04/14 Live Oak, FL Wannee Fest

just-joshin' star Tue 2/13/2007 01:10PM
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just-joshin'

i have been sooooooooo looking forward to seeing Rusted Root--ALL of Rusted Root--forever. Finally will get to at my favorite fest in the world--the Wanee Music Festival. sure am glad ol' girl decided to leave before Wanee...
rated this 1 for the terrible news

iamzero Tue 2/13/2007 01:15PM
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iamzero

for the last time. the hartford venue is the Webster Theater. Webster Hall is in NYC. thanks.

hurray for getting to see them tonight before jenn leaves.

matttroche Tue 2/13/2007 01:18PM
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matttroche

Sooooooo sad! she is so amazing. i will totally miss her. her and mike made such a badass team. plus what a hottie! haha. good luck to her new band.

pinkfloydfan420 Tue 2/13/2007 02:50PM
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pinkfloydfan420

Well that's sad, I've had a crush on her forever. She's so beautiful...

Good luck Jenn!

GlassWorks Tue 2/13/2007 04:06PM
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GlassWorks

bump

biscuits-n-phish Tue 2/13/2007 06:19PM
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biscuits-n-phish

dude, this tread is about the story above, you can't bump it. bumps are for message boards. just thought i would clear that up for ya.

anyone else going to the e-factory in philly.

bump, hahahaha. that really tickeled me for some reason.

cliffcliffordjr Tue 2/13/2007 08:49PM
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cliffcliffordjr

It's Snowing in Haaartford right now. Someone who went to tonights show please let me know if it happenend or not? Sorry I didn't have the motivations to get on down there. But let me tell you, only on a rare occasion do I actually attend shows at the Webster. Bad location. I'll travel to Boston or NYC or Providence before Hartford. But I love the root, have seen them for many many years. Will certainly miss Jen. Look forward to Isabella getting bigger.

booboo33 starstarstar Tue 2/13/2007 11:14PM
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i hope isabell plans to tour. I am interested to see what she would do on her own.
PS;Jambands.com has posted a great letter from Jenn Wertz to fans of the band.

zawada Wed 2/14/2007 05:33AM
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zawada

Bummer, loosing a voice like that in the root I feel will defenitly be noticed and missed. Every player on their stage is a tremendous role in their sound. Good luck to her and to Rusted Root in making incredible music. So she won't be at wannee fest this year. We shall she what kind of sound they'll have without. If I make it down. Still looking for someone to share the drive with from cincinnati.

danpfunk Wed 2/14/2007 08:55AM
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Bump for the bump explanation! LOL!

TravlynnJoe Wed 2/14/2007 12:53PM
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TravlynnJoe

In statement on her MySpace Page, Jenn Wertz writes:


Dear lovely Rusted Root fans and friends,

I will be, as the press release states, leaving the band as a touring member to go forward into things more aligned with my creative world. I wanted to address the people who come to see the band, because I have had so much joy for the years that I’ve spent in this band playing music for you all. It is truly one of the greatest things in my life.

Rusted Root was where I learned to play music, really, and while I taught myself a lot, I also learned from my bandmates, and the experience of playing live how to feed people light, and how to receive light. We all learned this together, and I feel that we were, and are at times truly practicing alchemy. The band itself is full of some of the most uniquely creative people I know of, and I feel happy to have shared such unbelievable magical music with them.

I wanted the press release to happen while I am still out here playing for audiences, so that I can have a 'goodbye' of sorts to this part of my life as a musician. I am a big believer in the power of embracing and fully experiencing the phases of change, I live and hopefully perform with my heart out there right on my sleeve. I like to be in all the facets of emotion; the seemingly goods, bads, and the uglys..as well as the ecstatic-- and I hope that I have been able to help escort people through emotions while playing music onstage. I know that this is a big reason for why so many people are devoted fans of this band. I have confronted REAL love and shadow hate, cried and laughed, and transcended these things in myself all while onstage with this band. What a gift!!!

I said in the release that I will miss the energy of playing live with Rusted Root the most, and it couldn’t be more true right now. There is a strange and beautiful thing that occurs between a musician and the crowd in any group, true...But, playing with Root has been magical, precious, and at times something that I called a home in myself. A place of feeling cradled by the collective energy of 2 or 3 thousand people at once. Sometimes it has been the only safe spot in my life!! Yet another gorgeous gift!!

There is nothing like it, and while I will continue to be who I am onstage playing music with Isabella, alone, or with any other group, I am savoring these tour dates and want to thank all of you for being a part of this beating heart of a catharsis called my life as a musician. True Thanks and LOVE. LOVE.LOVE.

cliftonhanger Wed 2/14/2007 02:04PM
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Rusted Root used to rock. I used to see them regularly hear in western new york. Joyce's Kegroom and The Great Blue Heron Music Festival. I saw michael gilbicki solo about 4-5 years ago, and that was a big snooze. They were on the up and up. I even saw them open for the GD in 95' and Further in 98'. Then they disappeared and I haven't heard anything new come out of them. It's been at least 10 years, since i've heard a new song. Yes, they did have a lot of songs that sounded alike, but they were original. I just think they ran out of creativitiy. I still own When I Woke and the self titled one even before that (i got on HORDE 94' and u can't get at stores). Don't listen to them anymore. I guess it's time to move on to something that's happening. Donna The Buffalo was another band who I saw many times at the same two venues around the same time and they still rock. I would recommend them anyday. I'll probably get crap for this review. I send my love, but 10 years is a long time to not have new songs or a new album.

matttroche Wed 2/14/2007 02:10PM
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matttroche

I AGREE ABOUT THE LACK OF NEW MUSIC. I DISAGREE THAT THE NEW MUSIC THAT THEY DID RELEASE LACKS CREATIVITY. WELCOME TO THE PARTY WAS A VERY GOOD ALBUM. WHAT CONFUSES ME IS WHY A BAND THAT HAS SO MUCH TOUR TESTED MUSIC DOESN'T REALEASE MORE LIVE ALBUMS. THEIR LAST DOUBLE LIVE WAS SO GOOD. WHERE'S THE FOLLOW UP GUYS?

mpkessler Wed 2/14/2007 02:56PM
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rusted root=awesome great times seeing them live, one more time at the E factory

WaffleHouseJoeSchmoe Fri 2/16/2007 09:26AM
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WaffleHouseJoeSchmoe

dude?

tranceful_delite starstarstarstarstar Fri 2/16/2007 09:32AM
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tranceful_delite

Damn i could look at those titties all day..........

guitardave starstarstarstarstar Wed 2/21/2007 07:43AM
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guitardave

The jamband world has lost two icons as of this announcement. Those hooters!

canoftunapudding Wed 2/21/2007 01:24PM
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So is she definitely not going to be at Wanee?

DunedinGirl Sat 2/24/2007 08:06AM
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DunedinGirl

I was really looking forward to seeing the whole band at Wannee too. :(

ninja of love Sat 2/24/2007 08:28PM
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ninja of love

i have seen rusted root live multiple times and they rock! i always have a great time and they are all truly incredible musicians. last time i saw them at mississippi nights in st. louis, jenn was not with them bc she had a baby and although they were still great, there was definately something missing. looking forward to seeing what she does on her own and she will be greatly missed.

festivalqueen starstarstar Tue 2/27/2007 12:37PM
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festivalqueen

well...i've saw root so many times its not even funny. I've went on tour with them...saw them at festies, saw them through the good times...and the bad. And to be honest...yes, i like jenn, but I don't know if she really has been the "greatest" since i have saw her on her latest tours. And even yet, I LOVE ROOT DONT GET ME WRONG...i am the one who sticks up for them when I hear people putting them down, and saying negative shit, but THEY HAVE NOT come out with any neewwwwer material for a while. ANd the setlists are almost toooo predictable. I am going to see them tomorrow nite....again....and look forward to it....cuz i love them but, hope that they bring it down....with some true soul in there musik. It would be nice....not just another gig or another to do. Spruce it babes! ohhhh yeah, btw Micheal you are a god! hehee!

doubledwampler Tue 2/27/2007 04:07PM
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DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO JIM DONOVAN??THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES I SAW THEM HE WAS NOT WITH THEM

kimmytg starstar Fri 3/9/2007 10:46PM
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kimmytg

Her voice is incredible! I hope to hear great things happen for her. Good luck Jenn!

Crucial Fri 3/30/2007 11:11AM
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Crucial

Listen- they were great in their heydey, but that has long passed. Just be glad they did not get overexposed like so many others do. I saw them two years ago (after a 10 year absence) and it "sounded" good. There are so many other things happening in the musical realm, it would be foolish to put all your devotion to the predicitability.

Universis starstarstarstar Wed 5/16/2007 07:00AM
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Universis

I heard that John Buynak is gone too.