Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Derek Trucks took up the guitar at age 9, and it was quickly apparent that he was a child prodigy. He was playing with a band and touring within two years. His early repertoire was heavily blues-based, obviously inspired by The Allman Brothers Band, of which his uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, is a founding member. Older bluesmen like Howlin' Wolf, jazz musicians Miles Davis, Sun Ra, John Coltrane, Charlie Christian and later Wayne Shorter and many others, became an influence for Trucks a few years later. Eastern Music, mainly Indian Classical, also affected Trucks's musical development, primarily his slide guitar playing, which is often compared to that of Duane Allman but is also heavily influenced by sarod players like Ali Akbar Khan. In 2003, he was the youngest guitarist on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time, and has been hailed as one of the greatest slide guitarists since Duane Allman.
Trucks formed his first band at age 12, and played his first gigs with them as "Derek and the Dominators". Later, Atlanta's jazz and blues bassist Todd Smallie joined Trucks in 1994, and became the first member of what is now the current version of The Derek Trucks Band. When Trucks really set about assembling a lasting band, he was by his reckoning about 14 years old. Smallie, on bass, was the first to join him. As a result, Trucks feels that he's "kind of grown up with him." A year later in 1995, drummer Yonrico Scott completed the band's early rhythm section. The band released its self-titled debut album, The Derek Trucks Band, in 1997, and followed with Out of the Madness in 1999. Scott has been playing with Trucks for over 16 years as of 2008. According to Derek Trucks: "We've developed a kind of 'musical ESP'.. it's nice to have somebody that you don't have to look at...he's just right there with you."
Kofi Burbridge joined the band shortly thereafter, contributing to the band's sound as a multi-instrumentalist, with his versatility on keyboards, flute, and vocals. Like his brother, whom Trucks plays with in the Allman Brothers Band, bassist Oteil Burbridge, Kofi Burbridge's education was primarily rooted in classical and jazz music. In an interview upon the release of their 2002 album, Joyful Noise, Trucks laughingly commented, "Kofi Burbridge has been with us maybe 2-3 years, and he's one of the few musical geniuses that I've had the chance to work with, he's totally insane"... continuing, "I'm really anxious to see in the next few years to see where he takes this, because he's definitely a huge part of what's going on right now."
In 2002 the band's producers, Craig Street and John Snyder recommended singer Mike Mattison to the band. Mattison performed several shows with the band, and Trucks decided Mattison's soulful voice and calm stage presence completed the band's identity. Trucks said of Mattison, "He's got a huge range, so that helps us out a lot when we stretch into some of the different material we cover. It's like having three different vocalists onstage at times. It's a tough piece of the puzzle to find, you know -- a good singer who fits with what you're doing -- so we were very fortunate to hook up with Mike." Mattison had a previous band as well-- a vocal duo, called Scrapomatic, with Paul Olsen, a guitarist and vocalist, whom he still performs with at occasional gigs, including some opening sets for The Derek Trucks Band. The band's final member, Count M'Butu is the only band member that does not appear on every tour. M'Butu, the group's eldest member, plays a variety of African drums. Trucks mentions casually that he had known M'Butu for many years before he joined the Derek Trucks Band, as M'Butu was a regular musical fixture in Atlanta; one of the bastions of the Allman Brothers fan bases.
Trucks' guitar playing is unusual in a number of respects. He steadfastly avoids processing and effects, preferring to get the purest tone possible by connecting his guitar directly to his amplifier, a 1964 Fender Super Reverb. He modifies his tone with the controls on the guitar. He plays without the use of a plectrum (pick), using his fingers instead, plucking primarily with the thumb, index and middle fingers, but also using the ring finger on occasion. He developed his technique himself. His guitar is always tuned to 'Open E'. From the low to high string, (i.e., EBEG#Be) he slightly detunes his low E string (a technique he and Jimmy Herring developed while playing together). Open E is a normal tuning for slide players, as it allows them to form chords more easily, but over the years he has become a highly acclaimed straight lead player without switching to standard tuning (EADGBe).
In 2001, Trucks married singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi. The couple have two children: Charles Kahlil Trucks (born March 8, 2002), and Sophia Naima Trucks (born August 9, 2004). Charles is named for saxophonist Charlie Parker and guitarist Charlie Christian; his middle name is taken from author Khalil Gibran. The name Sophia has mystic overtones (meaning "Wisdom" in Greek), and the unusual middle name comes from the John Coltrane ballad, which Coltrane named after his first wife, Naima.
In 1999, Derek Trucks joined his uncle, drummer Butch Trucks, as a member of The Allman Brothers Band, while continuing to lead his own band. With the Allman Brothers Band he has performed on 2000's Peakin' at the Beacon, 2003's Hittin' the Note, 2003's live DVD At the Beacon Theatre, and 2004's One Way Out.
As of early 2006, Trucks is an accompanying guitarist in Eric Clapton's 2006-2007 touring band. In early 2006, Trucks lost equipment, as an equipment trailer was stolen. Some of the gear was recovered on May 18, 2006, as reported in the Columbia Records Derek Trucks Forum. Gear that was reported as recovered from a field outside Atlanta, GA includes Derek's "1965 BFSR, the amp he's been playing since he was a young boy; Derek's 1968 SFSR (one of the backup amps),the DTB's Hammond B-3, two Leslies, a Hohner E-7 Clavinet, and a few other minor items."
Crow Jane
The Derek Trucks Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you hold your head so high,
Someday, baby, you know you gotta die.
I'm gonna buy me a pistol,
Long as I am tall,
Shoot Crow Jane just to see her fall.
Don't you hold your head so high,
Someday, baby, you know you gotta die.
You gotta lay down and die,
Lay down...
Yes I dug her grave,
With a silver spade,
Hey nobody's gonna take Crow Jane's place.
There's a reason I told Crow Jane,
Don't you hold your head so high,
Someday, baby, you know you gotta die.
Crow Jane...
You never miss your water,
'til your well run dry,
I didn't miss Crow Jane,
'til the day she died.
There's a reason I told Crow Jane,
Don't you hold your head so high,
Someday, baby, you know you gotta die.
Lay down and die...
The Derek Trucks Band's song "Crow Jane" is a blues song that speaks of the inevitability of death and the consequences of overconfidence. The repetition of the line "Don't you hold your head so high, Someday, baby, you know you gotta die" emphasizes the fragility of human life and how arrogant attitudes can lead to one's downfall. The singer then goes on to say that he will buy a pistol to shoot Crow Jane, who seems to be a symbol of pride and arrogance. The singer finds pleasure in seeing her fall, perhaps indicating a sense of satisfaction in watching those who overestimate themselves meet their end.
The line "Yes, I dug her grave with a silver spade" further emphasizes the power dynamic at play here, with the singer taking control of Crow Jane's destiny. However, in the final verse, the singer seems to express regret for not valuing Crow Jane enough until after her death. The line "You never miss your water, 'til your well run dry" highlights the regret that comes with hindsight and how sometimes it takes losing something to fully appreciate it. The song's message is clear: life is fleeting, and it's important to value those around us and not hold ourselves too highly.
Line by Line Meaning
Crow Jane...
The beginning of the song, introducing the subject.
Don't you hold your head so high,
Warning Crow Jane of being arrogant and proud.
Someday, baby, you know you gotta die.
Reminding Crow Jane of the inevitability of death.
I'm gonna buy me a pistol,
A plan of violence against Crow Jane.
Long as I am tall,
Expressing the need for a long pistol suitable for the task.
Shoot Crow Jane just to see her fall.
A violent desire to witness Crow Jane's downfall.
There's a reason I told Crow Jane,
Explaining the motivation behind the warnings.
You gotta lay down and die,
Submitting to the inescapable fate of death.
Lay down...
Emphasizing the need to surrender to death.
Yes I dug her grave,
Assuming responsibility for Crow Jane's death.
With a silver spade,
Imagery indicating the cost of the violent act.
Hey nobody's gonna take Crow Jane's place.
Acknowledging that Crow Jane was unique and irreplaceable.
You never miss your water,
A proverbial expression to convey regret for not valuing something until it is gone.
'til your well run dry,
Continuing the usage of the proverb and relating it to Crow Jane's death.
I didn't miss Crow Jane,
Contrasting the proverb by stating that the singer did not miss Crow Jane while she was alive.
'til the day she died.
Regretting not valuing Crow Jane before her death.
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stefanschleps8758
First time I heard this version I listened to it over two hours in a row.
Hypnotic, just couldn't get enough of it. Thanks for sharing.
DTB>TTB+GM+PLQ=🙂
@BenjaminJay30
Man this groove hits you like a wave. If this doesn't make you move, I don't know what to say. I saw Derek & Susan when they played the Hollywood Bowl with B.B. King. Amazing concert, amazing musicians, righteous jams.
@stefanschleps8758
You got soul.
@ChristopheGeloni
Il est magique ce titre ! Un groove dingue, Dereck et son touché inimitable et cette voix Soul 🔥💪🏻👏
@131Clem
This is one tight band! And they're doing a great job at covering the best song ever written.
@yulonda49
These are the most amazing musicians, second generation. Imagine growing up with the Allman Brothers Band. Derek then turns around and marries the very best new blues singer, Susan Tedeschi, Wow oh wow, Can't wait for their kids to grow up...This is a great band for someone like me who has listened to what is now classic rock all my life. Hell, you get burnt. This is music for any blues fanatic such as myself!!!
@watchyMCFCwatchy
When it comes to vocal range Mike is in a league of his own.
@xzsdfvdfbv
Damn, this band is really growing on me. Sooo good.
@sbingham1979
musicianship and singing of the highest order.
@19james77
this band is awesome