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."
Freddie's Dead
The Derek Trucks Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey hey, oh hoah
Freddie's dead, thats what I said
Let the man with the plan said he'd send him home
But his hope was a rope that he should have known
It's hard to understand there was love in this man
I'm sure we all could agree that his misery was his woman and things
Everybody's accused him, ripped him off and abused him
Another junkie plan, pushing dope for the man
A terrible blow but that's how it goes
Freddie's on the corner now
And if you want to be a junkie wow
Remember Freddie's dead
We're all built up with progress but sometimes I must confess
You can deal with rockets and dreams
But reality, what does it mean
Ain't nothin' said
And now Freddie's dead
We're all built up with progress
Sometimes I must confess
You can deal with rockets and dreams
But reality, what does it mean
Ain't nothin' said
And now Freddie's dead
Hey hey, oh no
Hey hey, on no no
You don't try, you're gonna die
If you don't try, you're gonna die
The Derek Trucks Band's song Freddie's Dead is a commentary on drug addiction and the struggles that come with it. The lyrics state, "Freddie's dead, that's what I said" multiple times, implying that Freddie was a victim of drug abuse and has recently passed away. The first stanza speaks of a promise made to Freddie to send him home and the hope that he had in that promise, which ultimately ended up being futile, as his addiction was too strong. The chorus repeats the phrase "Freddie's dead" emphatically, emphasizing the finality of the situation.
The second stanza highlights the societal criticisms and judgments that come with drug addiction. People accuse and abuse those who are addicted to drugs and society often dismisses them as hopeless addicts. The line "pushing dope for the man" suggests that there is a higher power at play in the drug trade and that addicts often become pawns in a larger scheme. This stanza concludes with the same emphatic repetition of "Freddie's dead" as seen in the chorus.
The final stanza reflects on the dichotomy between progress and reality. While society has progressed in many ways, drug addiction is a harsh reality that cannot be ignored. The repetition of "We're all built up with progress, but sometimes I must confess" highlights the ironic contradiction between progress and the persistence of drug addiction. The song ends with a warning that if one does not try to overcome their addiction, they will ultimately die.
Line by Line Meaning
Freddie's dead, thats what I said
Freddie, the person being talked about, has passed away and the singer wants to make that clear to everyone
Let the man with the plan said he'd send him home
Someone promised to send Freddie home after his death
But his hope was a rope that he should have known
Freddie had hope, but it was like a rope that ended up hanging him instead of saving him
It's hard to understand there was love in this man
Despite Freddie's flaws, it's difficult to deny that he was a loving person
I'm sure we all could agree that his misery was his woman and things
Many believe that Freddie's problems came from his relationships with women and his possessions
And now Freddie's dead, that's what I said
The singer reiterates that Freddie has passed away
Everybody's accused him, ripped him off and abused him
Many people accused Freddie of various things, cheated him, and mistreated him
Another junkie plan, pushing dope for the man
Freddie was involved in selling drugs and perpetuating the system that oppresses him
A terrible blow but that's how it goes
Freddie's death was a terrible event, but unfortunately, this kind of thing happens often
Freddie's on the corner now
Freddie is now homeless or dead and lying on the street corner
And if you want to be a junkie wow
Being a drug addict may seem exciting, but it's not worth it in the end
Remember Freddie's dead
The artist reminds the listeners that Freddie has died
We're all built up with progress but sometimes I must confess
As society advances, sometimes we still struggle to cope with certain situations
You can deal with rockets and dreams
We can handle aspirations and ideas for the future that may seem far-fetched
But reality, what does it mean
The reality of the present moment can be difficult to face and comprehend
Ain't nothin' said
The artist is at a loss for words
And now Freddie's dead
The artist reiterates that Freddie has passed away
Hey hey, oh no
The singer expresses a sense of concern or worry
Hey hey, on no no
Something bad has happened, and the singer is dismayed
You don't try, you're gonna die
If you don't make an effort in life, you may face dire consequences
If you don't try, you're gonna die
The artist repeats the message to emphasize its importance
Contributed by Declan E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.