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Derek Trucks

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Derek Trucks

Derek Trucks (born June 8, 1979) is a Grammy Award-nominated American guitarist.[1] He first attracted the attention of the music industry as an nine-year old child prodigy on the guitar,[2] playing with his uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, in the The Allman Brothers Band. He toured with them and finally became an "official" member after a decade of touring with them in 1999. That same year, he met blues singer Susan Tedeschi, and the two married in 2001, beginning a family. He continues to play with both The Allman Brothers Band and as bandleader of the The Derek Trucks Band, which he founded at age 15. In recent years, Trucks and Tedeschi have merged their respective bands on occasion, billed as the "Soul Stew Revival".

Trucks is known best for his dexterity and speciality as a slide guitarist, and stoic focus while performing on stage, his intense interest in the history of roots and blues musicians whose influence can be felt in Trucks' music, along with his familiarity and ability to integrate a wide variety of musical genres. He has played with a number of famous bands and musicians of note, guesting with other artists on tour, in festivals, and recording sessions.

Early years

Derek Trucks was born June 8, 1979, in Jacksonville, Florida, in a family with deep musical roots. [3] From childhood, he listened to his parents' vinyl recordings of Eat a Peach from the original Allman Brothers Band, and Derek and the Dominos, featuring Eric Clapton and Duane Allman, from which he got his name.[4] He has a younger brother, also a musician, who is a drummer, named Duane Trucks, who frequently tours with him and his band.

Derek Trucks first bought a used acoustic guitar, which he found at a yard sale for $5.00 at age nine, and learned to play. [5] There is some question as to the age in which Trucks began playing well enough to sit in with bands of a notable caliber and tour. By Trucks' reckoning, it was age nine or ten,[6] by others, such as Rolling Stone Magazine, it was age 11-12 years old,[7] but all agree that as a child he was playing professionally, touring, and sitting in with the Allman Brothers band. His uncle, Butch Trucks, is an original member of the band, and has performed as their drummer since the band's inception. The band's primary founding member and guitarist Duane Allman, along with Elmore James were the two most significant slide guitar players Trucks mentions as his initial influences. Aside from them, Freddy King, B.B. King and Albert King were some of the original blues and roots music based influences that Trucks has credited as well.[7] Trucks continues to act as lead guitarist with his band. Highly regarded with the slide, Trucks was ranked 81st in Rolling Stone Magazine's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time",[8] the youngest musician to be included at age 24.[9][10]

Career

With The Allman Brothers Band

After "sitting in" and touring with the Allman Brothers Band, from age 10-11 on, Derek Trucks was formally made a full member of the Allman Brothers Band, in 1999, after years of guest performances with the band. This included playing with the Allman Brothers during eight summer tours and the band's annual multiple-night-stand at New York City's Beacon Theatre. With The Allman Brothers Band, Trucks has performed on three live releases, which include the platinum-certified Live at the Beacon Theatre DVD, as well as the studio album Hittin' the Note in 2003.

The slide

File:Rolling Stone - The New Guitar Gods.jpg
Trucks (left), with John Mayer (center) and John Frusciante (right), on the cover of Rolling Stone 1020.

Derek Trucks has been hailed as one of the greatest slide guitarists since Duane Allman. Fellow Allman Brothers Band guitarists Duane Allman, Warren Haynes and Dickey Betts have all shared a mastery of the guitar and a fondness for the slide guitar. In 2007, Trucks was pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone (#1020) in February 2007, along with John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and John Mayer. Named as one of the "New Guitar Gods" and nicknamed by Rolling Stone Magazine as "The Jam King", Trucks' signature move, according to John Mayer, is "making the guitar sound like a female singer from like, the '50s or '60s, just belting it out". [7] Asked about his choice of becoming a slide guitarist, Trucks explains that when he learned to play at a tender age, the strings hurt his fingers and the slide made it easier for him to advance on the guitar.[6] For that reason, he was attracted to experimenting with open tuning, a practice used by other famous slide players like Ry Cooder, Lowell George, formerly of Little Feat, and Mick Taylor, who once was a member of the Rolling Stones. Trucks has employed the use of a copy of Duane Allman's bottleneck slide, made of Dunlop Pyrex, a plastic substance that resembles the Coricidin bottleneck slide Duane Allman used, without the difficulty of tracking down just the right kind of bottle, slicing the neck at just the proper place and angle, and keeping it safe from shattering.

Early in 2006, Eric Clapton, who initially had called Trucks just to arrange a recording session with him for a proposed album with J.J. Cale and Billy Preston for a few days, became so impressed with their compatibility jamming together on blues numbers, that he invited The Derek Trucks Band to open with him while on his upcoming Crossroads Guitar Festival world tour, with Trucks remaining on Clapton's set as his accompanist on guitar. Trucks was elated; he mentioned some concerns he had regarding his responsibilitites with The Allman Brothers Band (Gregg Allman in particular), but his worries were unfounded. Commenting afterward, in 2007, he said, “The Allman Brothers Band has been really great this past year working around Clapton’s schedule. I’m really grateful. They understood it was something I couldn’t pass up." Thus, Trucks played guitar alongside Eric Clapton in Clapton's 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival, opening with The Derek Trucks Band, which also featured his wife, Susan Tedeschi as a vocalist, but he also remained in Clapton's band. As a result, in 2006, Trucks found himself playing in three bands in 17 countries. [3]

Farm Aid

In 2007, Trucks, first with The Derek Trucks Band, and then The Allman Brothers Band, performed at Farm Aid, on Randalls Island, New York, alongside other artists including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and his wife, Susan Tedeschi, with her band. The Allman Brothers Band were hailed as as the hardest working band with Trucks receiving high marks, and Tedeschi "bringing down the house" with her rendition of "Little Pink Houses". This concert differed from many in the past, because the promoters did away with an amphitheatre, and allowed local farmers to bring in plenty of local produce for hungry fans and entertainers, with Dave Matthews urging the audience to "try the local corndogs", for example The concert was a rocking success.[11]

With his band

Derek Trucks Band

Trucks formed his first band at age 12, and played his first gigs with them as "Derek and the Dominators". Later, Atlanta's jazz and blues bassist Todd Smallie joined Trucks in 1994, and became the first member of what is now the current version of The Derek Trucks Band. Trucks has said of Smallie, that when he began, Trucks was about 14 years old. Trucks has said he's "kind of grown up with him.",[6]

A year later in 1995, drummer Yonrico Scott completed the band's early rhythm section. The band released its self-titled debut album in 1997, and followed with Out of the Madness in 1999. Scott has been playing now with Trucks for over 16 years as of 2008. Trucks: "We've developed a kind of 'musical ESP'.. it's nice to have somebody that you don't have to look at".."he's just right there with you.",[6]

Kofi Burbridge joined the band shortly thereafter, contributing to the band's sound as a multi-instrumentalist, with his versatility on keyboards, flute, and vocalist. Like his brother, Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge, Kofi Burbridge's education was primarily rooted in classical and jazz music. In an interview upon the release of their 2002 album, Joyful Noise, Trucks laughingly commented, "Kofi Burbridge has been with us maybe 2-3 years, and he's one of the few musical geniuses that I've had the chance to work with, he's totally insane"... continuing, "I'm really anxious to see in the next few years to see where he takes this, because he's definitely a huge part of what's going on right now." [6]

In 2002 the band's producers, Craig Street and John Snyder recommended singer Mike Mattison to the band. Mattison performed several shows with the band, and Trucks decided Mattison's soulful voice and calm stage presence completed the band's identity.[5] Trucks said of Mattison, "He's got a huge range, so that helps us out a lot when we stretch into some of the different material we cover. It's like having three different vocalists onstage at times. It's a tough piece of the puzzle to find, you know -- a good singer who fits with what you're doing -- so we were very fortunate to hook up with Mike."[1] Mattison had a previous band as well-- a vocal duo, called Scrapomatic, with whom he still performs at occasional gigs, including some opening sets for the Derek Trucks Band. [5] The band's final member, Count M'Butu is the only band member that does not appear on every tour. M'Butu, the group's eldest member, plays a variety of African drums.[12] Trucks mentions casually that he had known M'Butu for many years before he joined the Derek Trucks Band, as M'Butu was a regular musical fixture in Atlanta. The eldest member of the band, which has members in their 20's, 30's 40's 50's and 60's, with M'Butu, Trucks has known him "as long as he can remember". He has a great deal of African influence in his work, but lived in Sandersville, Georgia most of his life, "so he's got that Southern thing, too", Derek finishes. His differing influences are compatable with the band's world music sound. [13]


The sound

The Derek Trucks Band plays an eclectic blend of blues, soul, jazz, rock, Indian music, Latin music, and other kinds of world music, drawing on the wide variety of differing musical influences of each member. The Derek Trucks band, according to one All-Music reviewer, are a "group of musicians that share a passion for improvisation and musical exploration".[9] Trucks, in a 2002 interview commented that "When you hear people like Coltrane, and the search that he's on, I think that's what it's ultimately about... I heard it on a Sun Ra documentary, he was always talking about making a 'joyful noise.'"

Personnel

The current members of the band are:

Influences

Trucks' early repertoire was heavily blues-based, inspired by older bluesmen like Howlin' Wolf and Albert King, jazz musicians Miles Davis, Sun Ra, John Coltrane, Charlie Christian and later Wayne Shorter. Many others influenced Trucks a few years later. In recent years, the influence of traditional Southern Sacred Steel can be heard in Derek's slide work. In addition, Trucks studied at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California. Because of this, he learned to play the sarod, with lingering strains of Indian music in his guitar work as well.[14]

Equipment and style

Trucks avoids processing and effects, preferring to get the purest tone possible by connecting his guitar (Gibson SG custom 1962 reissue) directly to his amplifier, a 1965 Fender Super Reverb loaded with four Pyle Driver MH1020 speakers. He modifies his tone with the controls on the guitar. In early 2006, an equipment trailer with Trucks' gear was stolen. Some of the gear was recovered from a field outside Atlanta, including the 1965 Fender Super Reverb (an amplifier he's been playing with since he was a young boy), a 1968 Super Reverb (one of the backup amps), a Hammond B-3, two Leslie rotating speaker cabinets, a Hohner E-7 Clavinet, and a few other minor items.[15] He said, fortunately, nobody was home at the time, he was away "gigging" with the Allmans, so nobody was hurt.

Trucks regularly plays without a plectrum, or "pick". He generally plucks or strums (together or independently) with his thumb as well as his index, middle, and ring fingers. Electric guitarists using this method are rare: most prefer to use a pick. Termed "fingerstyle" guitarists, Howlin' Wolf's supporting guitarist Hubert Sumlin and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits are also among the notable exceptions who play without a pick. He uses custom gauge DR nickel-wound strings on both his SG and resonator guitars: .011, .014, .017, .026, .036, and .046. Most of his guitars are tuned to open E . Derek has used Fender Super reverbs in the past, but as of September 30, 2008, was not doing so when he played Meriweather Post Pavillion. In addition he had several new custom made amps (believed to be new Ceaser Diaz amps).

Trucks, 2007

Personal life

In 2001, Trucks married singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, and the couple have two children. Charles Khalil Trucks, born in 2002, named for saxophonist Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian, and author Khalil Gibran. Sophia Naima Trucks, born in 2004, takes her unusual middle name from a John Coltrane ballad, which was also the jazz legend's first wife's name. The Derek Trucks Band recorded a cover of "Naima" on their first album, seven years before her birth. Trucks' marriage to Tedeschi is an atypical domestic life, with both Trucks and Tedeschi frequently touring. The pair endeavor to perform as much as possible together, often merging their respective bands, along with others-- including Trucks' younger brother Duane Trucks, singer Mike Mattison's band Scrapomatic, and saxophonist Ron Holloway, (formerly part of Dizzy Gillespie's final quintet) who is currently part of Tedeschi's band, which they bill as "Soul Stew Revival". Tedeschi is a blues artist whose vocal delivery has been compared to Janis Joplin, and Bonnie Raitt, in part, she maintains, because they share the same influences. Having opened for bands of notable renown, Tedeschi holds her own with The Derek Trucks Band. Since both Trucks and Tedeschi are so frequently on the road, the two children are often with them, growing through their preschool years on the road, just a little younger than when Trucks himself began touring as a child.

Soul Stew Revival

Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi

Trucks and Tedeschi began combining the talents of their two bands during the celebration of New Years' concerts, seeking ways to spend more time together. They have received such positive feedback, that they began booking concerts more frequently together. Derek has estimated that he spends 300 days a year on the road, so they have carved out additional time to tour as Soul Stew together. He continues, "There's a lot less sleep, but the kids are old enough now to be on the road and it's not a complete drain. It's a lot but it's great to have the family together."[16] One of the more popular downloads of streaming music on the internet is from "That Tent" from the Bonnaroo Soul Stew Revival, in Manchester, Tennessee, on June 16, 2008. [17] As of 2008, the Soul Stew Revival has officially grown to an eleven-piece ensemble for the summer including a three-piece horn section.[18]

Current work

Derek Trucks Has recently toured with the Allman Brothers. He has scheduled performances with the Derek Trucks Band throughout the following remainder of 2008. In addition, the band toured through the summer of 2008 as part of the Soul Stew Revival, with Mattison's band, Scrapomatic opening in most performances.[18]

January, 2008 has seen the completion of a new studio in Trucks home, and The Derek Trucks Band has confirmed the recording of their latest album from that studio, Already Free, is to be released on January 13 2009.[18]

Discography

With the Derek Trucks Band

With the Allman Brothers Band

Recording collaborations

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Tennille, Andy (February 5, 2006). "Finding His Path". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-10-26. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Skelly, Richard. "Derek Trucks Biography". All Music Review. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
  3. ^ a b Tatangelo, Wade (4 January 2007). "Derek Trucks on playing with Allman, Clapton, Dylan". McClatchy Newspapers. Retrieved 2008-06-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Clash, Jim. "Rocker Derek Trucks Interviewed by Jim Clash". The Adventurer. Forbes. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  5. ^ a b c Jambase Band Bio Jambase dTb biography
  6. ^ a b c d e Trucks, Derek Multimedia Interview, 2002 with Trucks about The Derek Trucks Band, their album, Joyful Noise Official Website
  7. ^ a b c The New Guitar Gods: John Mayer, John Frusciante and Derek Trucks Feb 22, 2007 Rolling Stone Magazine Issue #1020 2008-08-09 Cite error: The named reference "New Guitar Gods" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ Rolling Stone Magazine The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time 2003-08-27
  9. ^ a b MSN City Guide The Derek Trucks Band Allmusic accessdate 2008-08-18
  10. ^ last.fm The Derek Trucks Band On Tour
  11. ^ Greene, Andy September 10, 2007Rolling Stone Magazine Review of Farm Aid 2007
  12. ^ "Derek Trucks Band - The Band". 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
  13. ^ Tennille, Andy.[1]
  14. ^ Bhattacharya, Sumit (13 February 2006). "New rock guitar god is Indian shishya". Retrieved 2008-06-01. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 30 (help)
  15. ^ Tennille, Andy.[2]
  16. ^ Tennille, Andy, Jambase Derek and Susan, It's a Family Thing Accessed 28 September, 2008
  17. ^ "Derek Trucks Band Live at That Tent, Bonnaroo on 2008-06-16". Soul Stew Revival. Internet Archive. June 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b c Soul Stew Update Derek Trucks/Soul Stew Update
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