Susan Tedeschi ( / t ə ˈ d ɛ s k i / ; born November 9, 1970) is an American singer and guitarist. She has been nominated for many Grammy Awards. She is a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, which is a combination of her band, her husband Derek Trucks' band, and other musicians.

Early life

Tedeschi was born on November 9, 1970, in Boston to a family with Italian heritage. She grew up in Norwell, Massachusetts. She is the daughter of Dick Tedeschi, the granddaughter of Nick Tedeschi, and the great-granddaughter of Angelo Tedeschi, who started Tedeschi Food Shops, a supermarket and convenience store chain in New England. Susan first appeared in the public spotlight at age five as an assistant in a Broadway musical. As a young child, she sang for family members and listened to her father’s collection of old records featuring musicians like Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins. She was raised Catholic but found little inspiration in the church choir. Instead, she attended mostly African-American Baptist churches, where she felt the music was "less repressed and more like a celebration of God." Starting at age 13, Tedeschi played in bands. At 18, she formed her first group that created its own music, called the Smokin’ Section, in Scituate, Massachusetts.

After finishing high school at Norwell High School, Susan Tedeschi went to Berklee College of Music. There, she sang in a gospel choir and performed show tunes on the Spirit of Boston, a ship. She earned a degree in music composition and performance at age 20. During this time, Tedeschi began playing in blues jam sessions at local places and became involved in the Boston music scene.

Career

In 1993, Susan Tedeschi formed the Susan Tedeschi Band with Adrienne Hayes, Jim Lamond, and Mike Aiello. In December 1995, the band released its first album, Better Days, to regional audiences. In 1997, the band recorded an album with producer Tom Hambridge. Richard Rosenblatt of Tone-Cool Records bought the recordings. This led to the first album released in February 1998 under Susan Tedeschi’s name, Just Won't Burn, which included guitarist Sean Costello. The album received positive reviews from critics and blues publications.

In March 1998, Tedeschi became the first artist to perform at Michele Clark’s first Sunset Sessions at Marriott Hotels & Resorts in the United States Virgin Islands. In 1999, she performed at Lilith Fair, an all-woman music festival organized by Sarah McLachlan. Between 1998 and 1999, she traveled widely across the United States and attracted large audiences.

Later, Tedeschi performed as an opening act for artists such as John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers Band, Taj Mahal, and Bob Dylan. In 2000, Just Won't Burn achieved Gold record status in the United States after selling 500,000 copies, a rare accomplishment for a blues album. She also recorded two tracks with members of the Double Trouble band, Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, for their album.

In 2003, Tedeschi opened for The Rolling Stones at large venues, which increased her national recognition. However, she noted that these performances were not financially profitable because she had to pay her musicians. In 2004, she appeared on the PBS program Austin City Limits with William Green on Hammond organ, Jason Crosby on keyboards, violin, and vocals, Ron Perry on bass, and Jeff Sipe on drums.

During a 1999 summer tour with The Allman Brothers Band in New Orleans, Tedeschi met Derek Trucks, who was the slide guitarist for the band and later the lead guitarist and bandleader of The Derek Trucks Band. After forming a personal relationship, Tedeschi and Trucks frequently toured together as Soul Stew Revival. The group included members from both bands and other musicians, such as Trucks’ younger brother, drummer Duane Trucks. In 2008, the group added a three-piece horn section.

In 2010, Tedeschi and Trucks took a break from their solo bands and formed a new group called the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The group performed at festivals such as Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival and Fuji Rock Festival. Unlike their previous collaboration, Soul Stew Revival, the Tedeschi Trucks Band focuses on creating and performing original music and is the main focus of both Tedeschi and Trucks for the future.

On May 7, 2021, the album Layla Revisited (Live at LOCKN’) was announced. The album features a live performance of the Derek and The Dominos album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs with Trey Anastasio. It was recorded on August 24, 2019, at the Lockn’ Festival in Arrington, Virginia, and released on July 16, 2021.

Personal life

On December 5, 2001, Tedeschi married Derek Trucks. They have two children: Charles Kahlil Trucks, born in March 2002. His name honors saxophonist Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian, and author Kahlil Gibran. Their second child, Sophia Naima Trucks, was born in 2004. Her middle name comes from a ballad written by John Coltrane, named after his first wife. The family lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

Tedeschi helped get a scholarship from Berklee College of Music for Adrianne Lenker. She is the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the Grammy-nominated rock band Big Thief.

Influences

Tedeschi's voice is often compared to a mix of Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, who she says have influenced her style. She learned guitar techniques from Buddy Guy, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King, and Doyle Bramhall II. On her 1998 album Just Won't Burn, Tedeschi lists many artists from different music styles who inspired her. These include Irma Thomas, Etta James, Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, Aretha Franklin, Otis Rush, Ronnie Earl, Otis Clay, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Dennis Montgomery III, Orville Wright, Walter Beasley, Kenya Hathaway, and Mahalia Jackson.

Award nominations

• Received a Grammy nomination in 2000 for Best New Artist
• Received a Grammy nomination in 2003 for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
• Received a Grammy nomination in 2004 for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Wait For Me
• Received a Grammy nomination in 2006 for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Hope and Desire
• Received a Grammy nomination in 2010 for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Back to the River
• Won the 2016 Americana Music Award for Duo/Group of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• Received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Live from the Fox Oakland

Awards won

• 2022 James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for showing the American experience through music; for sharing songs that move from sadness to happiness; for staying true to her art and using her voice to tell stories of hope and support for a better world
• 2012 Grammy Award for Best Blues Album for Revelator (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• 2014 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year
• 2014 Blues Music Award for Band of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• 2014 Blues Music Award for Rock Blues Album of the Year for Made Up Mind (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• 2017 Blues Music Award for Rock Blues Album of the Year for Let Me Get By (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• 2017 Blues Music Award for Band of the Year (with Tedeschi Trucks Band)
• 2017 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year

Tedeschi served as a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards.

Discography

• Better Days by Oarfin, released in 1995
• Just Won't Burn by Tone Cool, released in 1998
• Wait for Me by Tone Cool, released in 2002
• Live from Austin, TX by New West, released in 2004
• Hope and Desire by Verve Forecast, released in 2005
• Back to the River by Verve Forecast, released in 2008

With the Tedeschi Trucks Band:
• Revelator by Masterworks, released in 2011
• Everybody's Talkin' by Masterworks, released in 2012
• Made Up Mind by Masterworks, released in 2013
• Let Me Get By by Fantasy, released in 2016
• Live from the Fox Oakland by Fantasy, released in 2017
• Signs by Fantasy, released in 2019
• Layla Revisited (Live at Lockn') by Fantasy, released in 2021
• I Am the Moon by Fantasy, released in 2022
• Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (Live at Lockn') by Fantasy, released in 2025
• Future Soul by Fantasy, released in 2026

• Welcome to Little Milton by Little Milton, released in 1999
• Joyful Noise by Derek Trucks Band, released in 2002
• Already Free by Derek Trucks Band, released in 2009
• Truth by Robben Ford, released in 2007
• Bug by Various Artists, released in 2007 (Lionsgate)
• Skin Deep by Buddy Guy, released in 2008
• "Space Captain" by The Imagine Project, released in 2010 (Herbie Hancock with Derek Trucks)
• "Burn it Down" by Tin Can Trust, released in 2010 (Los Lobos)
• "Bright Lights, Big City" by Roots, released in 2011 (Johnny Winter)
• "Mixed Drinks About Feelings" by Mr. Misunderstood, released in 2015 (Eric Church)
• "Ain't No Thing" by Wynonna & the Big Noise, released in 2016 (Wynonna Judd)
• "Color of the Blues" by For Better, or Worse, released in 2016 (John Prine)
• Song of Lahore by The Sachal Ensemble with Derek Trucks, released in 2016 (Universal)
• "Cortez The Killer" by Dave Matthews Band, released in 2019
• "The Sky is Crying" by Jeff Beck Tribute, released in 2023