Interview: Derek Trucks

Derek Trucks is recognized as one of the all-time great slide guitarists, and after a long tenure in the Allman Brothers Band is now co-leader of the Tedeschi Trucks Band along with his singer/guitarist wife Susan Tedeschi.

One might say that music is in Trucks’ blood: his uncle, the late drummer Butch Trucks, was a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, and the name “Derek” came from “Layla” band Derek and the Dominoes, which featured Eric Clapton and original Allman Brothers’ guitarist Duane Allman. For the curious, in Dominoes-speak, Derek = Duane + Eric. Fittingly, the young Derek Trucks shared the stage with Eric Clapton, plus many, many others.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band released their third studio album Let Me Get By in 2016, and their second live album Live from the Fox Oakland in 2017.

This interview was for the 11/7/17 Tedeschi Trucks Band concert at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, California. It was done by phone on 10/24/17. (Stuart Levine photo)

Interview: Bonnie Bramlett

Bonnie Bramlett’s soulful voice has graced an amazing number of recordings and concert stages over the years, making her a true American treasure. As a teenager, she was the first white Ikette to back Ike and Tina Turner. Later, with her then-husband Delaney Bramlett they formed the band Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, which struck a chord in the late-60’s and early-70’s with its mix of rock, Gospel, soul, and blues music. The “Friends” in this band included such notables as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Duane and Gregg Allman, and others.

Bramlett has also performed and/or recorded with the likes of John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Little Feat, Stephen Stills, The Allman Brother Band (earning her the title of “Allman Sister”), Emmylou Harris, and many others. She released several solo albums in the 1970’s, and then more in the 2000’s, with her latest release being the 2008 album Beautiful.

Plus, Bramlett is a noted songwriter, having co-written “Superstar” which was a mega-hit for The Carpenters, and Eric Clapton’s single “Let It Rain”. A recent composition, “Ain’t Gonna Let You Go”, appeared on Bonnie Raitt’s latest album Slipstream.

And if that’s not enough, Bramlett is also an actress, most notably in her recurring role on the TV show Roseanne.

The following interview was for a preview article for the Bonnie & Friends performance at the Lobero Theatre on 9/28/12, as part of a fundraiser for The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP), an educational program that integrates percussion as a medium to address reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as life skills for children and adults with intellectual and developmental differences. The interview was conducted by phone on 9/4/12.