He has somehow managed to navigate his way through the shards of a much maligned industry and along the way, reach the echelons of guitar wizardry at the age of twenty-five.  Destined to fulfill a prophecy that was a culmination of genetics, a gift of God and acquired skills, all displayed at the tender age of 12 when an occasional guest appearance with The Allman Brothers Band became available.  His dedication to the musical medium, the desire to excel at his craft and the love of "roots" blues has distinguished him from most peers and his uncanny finger picking is reminescent of Peter Lewis, i.e., Moby Grape, long ago during the apex of the musical revolution and Haight Ashbury.

The trappings of the genre that are always on the horizon are not those of this phenomenon of "rock" as his priorities are the perpetuation of his music, his family (Susan Tedeschi & baby) and the legacy of The Allman Brothers Band when needed.  Soft spoken, considerate, affable and charming, Derek breathes new life into a sordid industry that has let banality and volume displace skill and appreciation.  Others of his ilk, the icons of The Woodstock Generation, are all aging, weathered artifacts from the glory days of great bands and subsequent music but, if there is to a torch bearer, the obvious choice will have to be Derek Trucks.  He defines all that is good in music, the universal solvent that heals the soul and touches the heart.   The sojourn of a child prodigy, who realized his gift as a teenager and avoided the pratfalls that have seen others of given skill succomb long before making their mark in the annals of contemporary music.  His deft, subtle playing seems to set a pattern of riffs that flow instnatly and settle over the fans at various venues anf festivals throughout the country.

Image By Don Aters

In reference as to who is the best guitarist, conjecture will reign supreme in that debate but the reality is, once a certain level of expertise is achieved, that's as good as it gets.  There are a few who play as well, i.e.., Jorma Kaukonen, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton,

Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, etc. but none play better than Derek Trucks.  We can only hope that he lives to be one hundred, continue to explore the boundaries of "Rock n Roll", "Blues" and "Jazz", and that we are all still around to watch.

As always,

Peace

Don Aters - Editor

Haight Street Music News