The Giving Tree Band is, as Tom Fink (banjo player and singer for the band) explained, a band still searching for its voice.

They formed eight years ago and in that time have managed to tour all over the country and release four albums with distinct sounds.

Fink said every album has been completely different from the last.

Their first album, “Unified Folk Theory,” lacked the depth and more developed songs their follow-ups provided.

“I think when we made the first album, we just saw ourselves as a group of friends who were coming together to play in a band,” Fink said.

The progress they made as writers and musicians has laid opportunities on their laps that most bands strive for but never manage to obtain.

Bigger audiences have gotten a glimpse of them when they were invited to play at the House of Blues and the Kennedy Center and the time they opened for the Avett Brothers and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

But For E., the band’s lead singer and Fink’s brother, achieving fame is the furthest thing from his mind.

E. has enjoyed the ability to write and perform on his own terms, without having to answer to a major record label.

“There’s no one to say, ‘you can’t make anymore records,’” E. said. “No one can turn the plug on us and tell us when to stop performing.”

The brothers said the band has made it to the point where they can now thrive off their music after years of making meager profits from their performances and albums.

“There were times when we wouldn’t eat, but we still played concerts,” E said. And now we’re still touring and performing but have been able to live off of our music.”

After striking a chord with listeners, Fink said the band’s outlook on music and performances has taken a major change in direction.

They now view playing music not as a hobby but as an occupation.

“Now, there’s a more serious nature when we’re playing because it’s more of our duty as artists to do what we do,” E. Said.

Fink said the band is trying to achieve a career that will last them a lifetime; he said his fear is that they could one day become an overnight success and then burnout before getting a chance to enjoy their newfound fame.

But, even now, when the two brothers describe their group as a grassroots band, their music has caught on with some listeners who even recognize them in a crowd.

Fink said, though, fans only recognize them every now and then. Sometimes people have no idea that the gang of seven is actually a group.

“When you see seven dudes with beards, you either think class just got out early or there’s a band,” Fink said.

The band members have stuck around long enough to solidify a presence in a changing music scene that has opened its doors to independent musicians who offer up more diverse music that strays from what is typically played on radio stations and television, Fink said.

Years ago, Fink said, they probably would have only received attention from small pockets of fans.

“It’s (the music industry) fading back into quality music, which was something that was missing for a while. Artists like us get a little more notoriety,” Fink said

The brothers said the group’s presence and music have evolved simultaneously.

Their last album, “Vacilador,” shows their growth best, Fink said.

The music wasn’t as raw; a horn section and a violinist accompanied the seven core members.

In previous albums, the seven core members were the only ones providing the lyrics and instrumental sounds.

“It (the album) became a lush soundscape,” Fink said. “Before, we didn’t have some of the resources we have now.”

But not everything was cheerful about the months they spent recording the album.

During recording, two members left the band and were replaced, and Fink said the final product was completely different from what they had envisioned from the start.

“This was a new vision for us, completely different from where we were in the beginning,” Fink said.

Currently, TGTB is working on a new album while traveling from venue to venue across the country.

They have recorded seven songs as of January and plan to have 14 by the end of the month before going out on a long tour where they plan to make a stop at South by South West, a music festival in Texas.

E. said that performing at concerts and recording albums has been feasible because all of the members chose to be musicians.

“None of us have any families or other jobs to focus on. We all have one goal, which is to continue playing music,” E. said.

E. has led the band since its inception and is the one who usually lays out the groundwork for each project the band has taken on, Fink said.

“We all get behind his vision after he tells us the way he wants things to go,” Fink said.

They have self-produced their music and career, “built it brick by brick,” E. said.

E. said the band is still in transition, having yet to figure out where they will go.

“We’re just starting to figure out where we’re going to go,” E. Said. “You’d think we’d be better, but we’re not.”

The Giving Tree Band will perform at the Uptowner at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Jaime Lopez can be reached at 581-2812 or jlopez2@eiu.edu.