Derek Trucks talks back

Derek Trucks talks back

- Frank Etheridge

Derek Trucks met his wife Susan Tedeschi in July 1999 in New Orleans at the Saenger Theatre. Already an accomplished prodigy and slide-guitar virtuoso, Trucks has since forged a family with the Grammywinning singer/guitarist Tedeschi and found fertile musical ground in their own Grammy-winning ensemble, the transcendent Tedeschi Trucks Band. Heirs apparent to the rock/soul/blues scene that has surrounded him from the cradle to today, Trucks recently spoke by phone from his native Jacksonville, Florida home “in the swamp” with OffBeat about loss, late nights at Tipitina’s, and his sources of inspiration.

What’s it like creating music with your wife?

It’s a pretty amazing thing to be able to share that with somebody. I guess being on the road as a kid, band and family always co-mingled—there was never a separation. Almost any band I’ve played in, we stayed together 10, 15, 20 years. It feels natural, you know? It has to be the right person and the right musical sensibility. When we first met in New Orleans at the Saenger, it was the musical connection first. That made it pretty simple.

What can you tell us about that first meeting between you and Susan?

It was one of the first tours I had done with the Allman Brothers as a member of the band, and she was opening a whole month of shows. You don’t run across people like that often. [laughs] You just don’t run across a musician of that caliber, especially in that package.

Y’all just wrapped up your summer tour and are preparing to hit the road again real soon. Why tour that frequently?