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entertaining u newspaper: your weekly guide to entertainment
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by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
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WHO: Derek Trucks with Susan Tedeschi
WHERE: The Florida Theatre
WHEN: Wednesday, December 27th
Slide guitar avatar Derek Trucks has had a milestone year. He toured internationally with Eric Clapton, traveled with his own band, played selected dates with the Allman Brothers Band, and played dates with his wife, Susan Tedeschi. When I spoke to Derek last Wednesday afternoon he had just returned home from five weeks of performing with Eric Clapton in Japan. He is still committed to play more gigs with Clapton through next April.
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Yes, Derek has come a long way from the kid I used to know, who, at age 11, was touring with his father in a ratty old RV. Today, as a devoted husband and father of two small children, Derek has pulled off many scheduling coups to be with his wife and kids on the road. This hasn’t been easy because she is busy with her own burgeoning career. But Derek said he hasn’t seen his home on Julington Creek in ten months. Luckily, though, his family is close and his mother has been the kids’ nanny on the road. Derek also has an assistant arranging his complex scheduling issues and other family members help out with the house sitting.
I asked Derek about Eric’s offer to join him on an international tour. He must have been excited, but he has his own band and he wouldn’t leave without discussing it with them.
“When Eric asked me to play with his band, naturally I looked at it as a chance in a lifetime. He’s a global mega-star. So, I went to my band and told them about it. They all said that I couldn’t turn down this gig. So, we worked out a plan so they could make money and we could hold the band together. I also had gaps in Eric’s schedule so I could book gigs with my own band. And I had to juggle dates with the Allman Brothers Band as well. Above all, I wanted to hold my band together and not leave them jobless. Happily we worked it out, and touring with Eric has been a peak musical experience.”
“Holding my family together is my main priority. So we did a lot of flying to each other’s gigs and bringing the kids on tour. It was expensive but well worth it. I had my kids in Japan for five weeks. It was a great experience for them also. Charlie is now four and Sophie is two years old. Our family is close and they help out with the kids. Our gigs in Japan were memorable, and a live album may come out of it. Eric records every gig and he will decide later whether to use any of the material. I do know that after one particularly satisfying gig, he was ecstatic about listening to the playback.”
“Susan and I have been talking about joining forces but nothing has been decided yet. We are playing dates together–both her band and mine—and she comes out and to sing with my band during the holidays. If we toured together it would solve our scheduling problems and flying expenses to be together. However, there are many complex factors to sort out if we do decide to tour together. Susan was nominated for a Grammy again this year, so she will be attending the awards ceremony. Of course, I’ll be there if at all possible.”
“When my commitment to Eric is over next April, I’ll hunker down in the studio with my band to record a new CD. We have a new record and DVD coming out soon. So it’s a never ending work schedule. However, I love to play. The bottom line: If I can keep my family together and make a living by playing music, then I’m happy. Sometimes, I feel like taking a break but something interesting comes up that I really want to do, like playing with Eric, and I forget all about taking a vacation. My work is church. When I’m on stage it’s a spiritual experience. It makes all the BS we all go through well worth it. We are looking forward to performing at the Florida Theatre for the hometown crowd. It’s good to be home, but when I’m gone ten months out of the year, my real home is on the road.”
That concluded our conversation. It always impresses me that Derek is a humble, regular guy, who has not let his rise to the top of the music biz mountain go to his head. He’s a guitar player, family man, and fine gentleman.
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