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.

Early life

Tedeschi was born on November 9, 1970, in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

to a family of Italian ancestry and grew up in Norwell, Massachusetts. She is the daughter of Dick Tedeschi, granddaughter of Nick Tedeschi, and the great-granddaughter of Angelo Tedeschi who founded Tedeschi Food Shops, a New England–based supermarket and convenience store chain. Susan 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 record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, ...

ings of musicians such as Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin' Hopkins. Growing up

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, 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, Tedeschi formed her first all-original group at 18, the Smokin' Section, in the nearby town of Scituate.
After graduating from Norwell High School (Massachusetts), Norwell High School in Norwell, Susan Tedeschi attended the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

, where she sang in a gospel choir. She performed show tunes on the ''Spirit of Boston'' (a ship) and received her

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degree in musical composition and performance at age 20. During that time, Tedeschi began sitting in on blues jams at local venues and immersed herself in the Boston music scene.

Career

Early career

Tedeschi 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 The United States Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and a territory of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located ...

. In 1999, Tedeschi played several dates in the all-woman traveling festival Lilith Fair organized by Sarah McLachlan. Throughout 1998 and 1999, she extensively toured the United States and drew larger crowds.

As an opening act

Eventually Tedeschi was opening for John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Buddy Guy,

The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards), as well as Dickey Betts ( ...

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...

, and

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

. 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. She opened for

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

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 ''Austin City Limits'' is an American Concert, live music Television show, television program recorded and produced by KLRU, Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", an ...

'' with William Green on

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

; Jason Crosby on keyboards, violin, and vocals; Ron Perry on bass; and Jeff Sipe on drums.

Soul Stew Revival

While in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

opening for the Allman Brothers Band on their 1999 summer tour, Tedeschi met Derek Trucks; Trucks was slide guitarist for the band, 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. SSR included members of The Derek Trucks Band, members of Tedeschi's band, and other musicians who traveled with them, including Trucks' younger brother, drummer Duane Trucks. In 2008, they added a three-piece horn section.

Tedeschi Trucks Band

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 is an annual music festival, rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The three-day event, organized by Smash (Music promoters), Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it th ...

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.

Personal life

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 Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

, guitarist Charlie Christian, and author

Kahlil Gibran Gibran Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931), usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and Visual arts, visual artist; he was also considered a philosopher, although he himself reject ...

; and Sophia Naima Trucks, born in 2004, who takes her middle name from the

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

composed by

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

, in honor of his first wife. They reside in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

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

Influences

Tedeschi's voice has been described as a blend of Bonnie Raitt and

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter. One of the most iconic and successful Rock music, rock performers of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and her "electric" ...

, both of whom she claims as influences. Her guitar playing is influenced by Buddy Guy, Johnny "Guitar" Watson,

Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (also known as SRV; October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (band), Double Trouble. Although his ma ...

, Freddie King and Doyle Bramhall II. On the album '' Just Won't Burn'' (1998), Tedeschi lists a multitude of inspirations from various genres. The list includes Irma Thomas,

Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known as the Ch ...

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

, Toots Hibbert,

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...

, Otis Rush, Ronnie Earl, Otis Clay,

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

, Dennis Montgomery III, Orville Wright, Walter Beasley, Kenya Hathaway, and

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...

Award nominations

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

Grammy nomination for Best New Artist *

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance *

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for '' Wait For Me'' * 2006 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for '' Hope and Desire'' *

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for '' Back to the River'' * 2016 Americana Music Award for Duo/Group of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) *

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for '' Live from the Fox Oakland''

Awards won

* 2022 James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for “her embodiment of the American Experience through music; for imbuing the American soundtrack with songs that transcend from grief to joy; for staying true to her art form and for using her voice to share stories of hope in advocating for a better world” * 2012 Grammy Award for Best Blues Album for '' Revelator'' (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) * 2014 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year * 2014 Blues Music Award for Band of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) * 2014 Blues Music Award for Rock Blues Album of the Year for "Made Up Mind" (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) * 2017 Blues Music Award for Rock Blues Album of the Year for "Let Me Get By" (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) * 2017 Blues Music Award for Band of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band) * 2017 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year Tedeschi served as a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

* '' Better Days'' (Oarfin, 1995) * '' Just Won't Burn'' (Tone Cool, 1998) * '' Wait for Me'' (Tone Cool, 2002) * '' Live from Austin, TX'' (

New West New West Records is a record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville and Athens, Georgia. It previously had offices in Burbank, California and Beverly Hills, California. From 2013 to 2018, New West's records in the U.S. were distributed b ...

, 2004) * '' Hope and Desire'' ( Verve Forecast, 2005) * '' Back to the River'' (Verve Forecast, 2008) With the Tedeschi Trucks Band * '' Revelator'' (Masterworks, 2011) * '' Everybody's Talkin''' (Masterworks, 2012) * '' Made Up Mind'' (Masterworks, 2013) * '' Let Me Get By'' (Fantasy, 2016) * '' Live from the Fox Oakland'' (Fantasy, 2017) * '' Signs'' (Fantasy, 2019) * '' Layla Revisited (Live at LOCKN')'' (Fantasy, 2021) * '' I Am the Moon'' (Fantasy, 2022)

As guest

* ''Welcome to Little Milton'' (1999),

Little Milton James Milton Campbell Jr. (September 7, 1934 – August 4, 2005), better known as Little Milton, was an American blues singer and guitarist, best known for his List of number-one R&B singles of 1965 (U.S.), number-one R&B single "We're Gonna Ma ...

* '' Joyful Noise'' (2002), Derek Trucks Band * '' Already Free'' (2009), Derek Trucks Band * ''

Truth Truth or verity is the Property (philosophy), property of being in accord with fact or reality.Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionarytruth, 2005 In everyday language, it is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise cor ...

'' (2007), Robben Ford * '' Bug'', Various (Lionsgate, 2007) * '' Skin Deep'' (2008), Buddy Guy * "Space Captain", '' The Imagine Project'' (2010),

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

with Derek Trucks * "Burn it down", '' Tin Can Trust'' (2010), Los Lobos * "Bright Lights, Big City" ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

'' (2011) Johnny Winter * "Mixed Drinks About Feelings", '' Mr. Misunderstood'' (2015), Eric Church * "Ain't No Thing", '' Wynonna & the Big Noise'' (2016), Wynonna Judd * " Color of the Blues", '' For Better, or Worse'' (2016), John Prine * ''Song of Lahore'', The Sachal Ensemble with Derek Trucks (Universal, 2016) * " Cortez The Killer", 2019, Dave Matthews Band * ''The sky is crying'' (2023) Jeff Beck Tribute

References

External links

Susan Tedeschi official site

Derek and Susan.net/
Official site for both Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi
DerekTrucksBand.com
– official site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tedeschi, Susan 1970 births American people of Italian descent American blues guitarists American blues singer-songwriters American blues singers Berklee College of Music alumni American blues rock musicians Contemporary blues musicians Grammy Award winners Living people Mercury Records artists People from Norwell, Massachusetts Rounder Records artists Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts Verve Forecast Records artists Guitarists from Massachusetts The Other Ones members Tedeschi Trucks Band members 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American women guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Trucks family 21st-century American singer-songwriters