INTERVIEW WITH DEREK TRUCKS FROM TheCelebrityCafe.com ARCHIVES
DM) How's the tour with the Allmans going?
DT) Very well. We just started the second leg of the tour in New Orleans. We took a few weeks off and I toured with my group, and we just picked up again in New Orleans.
DM) Age-wise... you're kinda young to be playing with the Allmans.
DT) Yeah, I think so. I think it's all relative. The Allmans are playing music older than all of us. Old Jazz and old Delta Blues stuff. That's kind of where their influences were. Greg's influences were Bobby Bland and Little Milton, and they were recorded in the '50's, so I think we're all looking back to the roots of things. That really helps out communicating musically.
DM) Have you ever been nervous playing with them?
DT) It's been amazing. The chemistry's been great, it's been great musically and personally. I haven't felt it at all other than hearing about it. With them it's not even an issue, which is great. Jamo has said that it reminded them of Miles [Davis] and Art Blakey. They always had younger musicians come in.
DM) How have the fans' reactions been?
DT) They've been great. Everything's been positive so far. It's been better than I ever thought. I didn't think it would go this smoothly from the beginning.
DM) You also have your own band, The Derek Trucks band. Has this been taking away from it?
DT) It's really been adding, because the Allmans only play a summer tour and something in March in New York. And it gives me time to do my own thing, so now when we get together to play, it really takes on a whole new meaning.
DM) Do you find that you're growing more in popularity with the Allmans?
DT) I think it probably helps. We were really starting to hit our stride right before.
DM) When did you first start playing?
DT) I started playing at 9. I think I always listened. Even when I started playing, I did more listening than playing. I listened to the roots of things to see where it was coming from. The first influence was Duane Allman and Elmore James. And from there it was Howling Wolf and Bobby Bland. I'm always researching music, especially roots music... the Delta Blues and the Harlem Renaissance. All the jazz going in the '40's and '50's in the city. There's a lot to be researched, and that really seems to have helped me with my playing.
DM) You said the Allmans were an influence as you were growing up?
DT) Oh, definitely. I used to fall asleep listening to the "Fillmore East" album. I think that for me they were the first introduction to real music.
DM) That must be pretty exciting, playing with the people who were your inspiration.
DT) It's amazing; people are able to play and look over at Greg smiling and everybody is enjoying it for musical reasons. It's a pretty amazing time.
DM) What's the next step in your career?
DT) I've been on the road for 11 years now, and the only way I found that made sense to do it is to make it count while I'm there. For me, career isn't what I've been focusing on; it's being a musician, I think, and luckily it gives me the chance to keep it there. This kinda helps me to be able to do that long term.
DM) Being 20 and touring for 11 years is extremely young. Wasn't 9 years old a little too young to be touring?
DT) Well, I would do a week here and weekends there. My father would always come touring with me. And later, toward middle school and high school, I would home-school for a semester and then hit the road and play music.
DM) Did you miss going to school?
DT) Not at all. I really won, because I had the chance to travel the country at a young age and be around amazing people and play music and do the home life. I found more and more when I was home that I was ready to hit the road again. I was very lucky. I got a chance to see things and do things I would probably have never done otherwise. It's been nothing but positive.
DM) You always hear about child prodigies and the pitfalls of following an entertainment career. What do you think?
DT) Well, I think those people have the wrong expectations. I think that if you go into it thinking career and fame and money, then you're going to have problems--because that's not what it's about. If you go into it because you enjoy the whole thing and you love the music, and that's what it's about, I think you get out much safer. I think attention has a lot to do with most of those stories. Some people were just dealt bad hands, and others seem to take more of the negatives than the positives. I wouldn't trade what I've had the chance to do by this point. It's been amazing.
