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."
For My Brother
The Derek Trucks Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For my brother, for my brother
For my brother, for my brother
For my brother, for my brother
In the battle for the california sun
The windows up against you hangin' around again
No one here is pulling their punches
I wish I was allowed to say
Imagine just how much it is for
For my brother, for my brother
For my brother, for my brother
The heat and the sidewalk take me in - ???
It's time I think about the greatest sound I've ever known
Teach a man to kiss your feet
Teach a man to hold his thunder
Come across a great emotion
Strong enough to pull you under
For my brother, for my brother
For my brother, for my brother
The Derek Trucks Band's song For My Brother is a tribute to Derek Trucks' dearly departed brother, who passed away at a young age due to a sudden heart attack. The repetition of the phrase "for my brother" throughout the song serves as a constant reminder and dedication to him. The opening lines describe a battle for the California sun, possibly referencing the competitive music industry in California as Derek and his brother were both professional musicians. The lyrics then describe a longing to express oneself fully without any restrictions, to say what truly needs to be said. The heat and sidewalk mentioned represent the exhaustion of the grind, but it is through this struggle that one can find the greatest sound they've ever known. This line is particularly poignant as Derek and his brother were both masters of their craft and had a deep passion for music.
The lines "Teach a man to kiss your feet / Teach a man to hold his thunder" suggest a sense of empowerment and self-mastery, to both give and take control. Despite the struggles and emotions encountered in life, the final line "For my brother, for my brother" reminds us that the love and bond between siblings can never be broken. Overall, the song serves as a touching tribute to Derek Trucks' brother and a testament to the enduring strength of siblinghood.
Line by Line Meaning
For my brother, for my brother
The singer emphasizes his love and dedication towards his brother
For my brother, for my brother
The singer repeats his love and dedication towards his brother
For my brother, for my brother
The singer emphasizes his love and dedication towards his brother
For my brother, for my brother
The singer repeats his love and dedication towards his brother
In the battle for the california sun
In the intense competition of achieving goals in California
The windows up against you hangin' around?
The odds are against him and he's struggling to stay afloat
Things are pushin' on they're way
Challenges and obstacles are coming his way
No one here is pulling their punches
Everyone around him is fighting hard without holding back
I wish I was allowed to say
He wishes he could express himself freely without any boundaries
Imagine just how much it is for
He wants to convey the magnitude of his feelings
The heat and the sidewalk take me in
He mentally immerses himself into the hot and tough environment around him
It's time I think about the greatest sound I've ever known
He reminisces about the most impactful and emotional moments of his life
Teach a man to kiss your feet
Empower someone to show their appreciation and respect for you
Teach a man to hold his thunder
Teach someone to control their anger and emotions
Come across a great emotion
Experience a strong and overwhelming feeling
Strong enough to pull you under
Powerful enough to engulf and overwhelm you
For my brother, for my brother
The singer emphasizes his love and dedication towards his brother
For my brother, for my brother
The singer repeats his love and dedication towards his brother
Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
gary laubscher
That flute and guitar jam was SOOO GOOOD!!! Put a big smile on this 70 year old , Live Long & Rock On...
anthonyspare
Only time I have EVER heard DT speak while on stage. EVER.
Open guard
Best Fucking SOLO ever!! some boy :)
Cris Lorenger
Superlative
Antonio Betancourt
...yess.
Eric Harper
Have had a lot of fun playing this in bars, but of course not a single person knows who derek trucks is in my little town.
John Lynch
Derek and Kofi played off each other like no others. RIP Kofi
Ken Murphy
@raygen gamer You have that channel up yet AG?
raygen gamer
Eric Harper man I’m pretty sure he is extremely underrated. Just look st the low comments. Hell im enticed to start a channel about this guy