Susan Tedeschi

Susan Tedeschi (born November 9, 1970) is an American singer and guitarist.

A multiple Grammy Award nominee, she is a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a conglomeration of her band, her husband Derek Trucks’ band, and other musicians.

Tedeschi was born on November 9, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, to a family of Italian ancestry and was raised in Norwell, Massachusetts.

She is the daughter of Dick Tedeschi, granddaughter of Nick Tedeschi, and great-granddaughter of Angelo Tedeschi, who founded Tedeschi Food Shops, a New England–based supermarket and convenience store chain.

Tedeschi made her public debut as a five-year-old understudy in a Broadway musical.

As a youth she sang for family members and listened to her father's record collection of old vinyl recordings of musicians such as Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin' Hopkins.

Raised as a Catholic, she found little inspiration in the church choir and attended predominantly African-American Baptist churches, feeling that the music was "less repressed and more like a celebration of God."

In bands since the age of 13, she formed her first all-original group at 18, the Smokin' Section, in the nearby town of Scituate.

After graduating from Norwell High School, Tedeschi attended the Berklee College of Music, where she sang in a gospel choir.

She performed show tunes on the Spirit of Boston and received her Bachelor of Music degree in musical composition and performance at age 20.

During that time, she began sitting in on blues jams at local venues and immersed herself in the Boston music scene.

Tedeschi learned how to play blues guitar in Boston from musician Tim Gearan.

She formed the Susan Tedeschi Band in 1993, with Adrienne Hayes, Jim Lamond and Mike Aiello.

In December 1995, the band released Better Days to regional audiences.

The 1997 recording sessions produced by Tom Hambridge were acquired by Richard Rosenblatt for his indie label Tone-Cool Records.

The result is the first album released in February 1998 under the sole name of Susan Tedeschi; Just Won't Burn, featuring young guitarist Sean Costello, received very positive reviews, particularly from critics and blues publications.

Tedeschi was the first artist to play Michele Clark's first Sunset Sessions in March 1998 at the Marriott Hotels & Resorts in the United States Virgin Islands.

Throughout 1998 and 1999, she extensively toured the United States and drew larger crowds.

Eventually, Tedeschi was opening for John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers Band, Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan.

In 1999, Tedeschi played several dates in the all-woman traveling festival Lilith Fair organized by Sarah McLachlan.

While in New Orleans opening for the Allman Brothers Band on their 1999 summer tour, Tedeschi met Derek Trucks, the band's slide guitarist and bandleader and lead guitarist of The Derek Trucks Band.

In addition to a personal relationship, Tedeschi and Trucks then toured together frequently under the name Soul Stew Revival.

This included members of The Derek Trucks Band, members of Tedeschi's band, and other musicians who travelled with them, including Trucks' younger brother, drummer Duane Trucks.

In 2000, Just Won't Burn (1998) reached Gold record status for sales of 500,000 in the United States, rare for a blues production.

She recorded two tracks with Double Trouble band members Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon for their album.

On December 5, 2001, Tedeschi married Derek Trucks.

They have two children: Charles Kahlil Trucks, born in March 2002, is named for saxophonist Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian, and author Kahlil Gibran; and Sophia Naima Trucks, born in 2004, who takes her middle name from the ballad composed by John Coltrane, in honor of his first wife.

They reside in Jacksonville, Florida.

Tedeschi arranged the Berklee scholarship that was awarded to Adrianne Lenker, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the Grammy-nominated rock band Big Thief.

She opened for The Rolling Stones in 2003 and played in huge venues, gaining national exposure.

The gig was not financially lucrative.

According to Tedeschi, "They pay, but it's not great. I don't make any money 'cause I've got to pay all my sidemen. I'll be lucky if I break even."

In 2004, Tedeschi was featured on the PBS television program Austin City Limits with William Green on Hammond organ; Jason Crosby on keyboards, violin, and vocals; Ron Perry on bass; and Jeff Sipe on drums.

In 2008, they added a three-piece horn section.

In 2010, Tedeschi and Trucks announced a hiatus for their solo bands, and formed a new group called Tedeschi Trucks Band.

The group performed at a number of festivals including Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, Fuji Rock Festival and others.

Unlike their previous collaborative project – Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi's Soul Stew Revival – the Tedeschi Trucks Band focuses on writing and performing original material and is the focus of both Trucks and Tedeschi for the foreseeable future.

Layla Revisited (Live at LOCKN') was announced on May 7, 2021.

The album is a one-time live recording of the Derek and The Dominos album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs performed in full with Trey Anastasio.

Recorded on August 24, 2019, at the Lockn' Festival in Arrington, Virginia, the album was released on July 16, 2021.