Today marks the birthday of the incomparable Derek Trucks, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. A two-time honoree on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Trucks has earned multiple Grammy Awards and accepted a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of the legendary Allman Brothers Band. At this point, there’s little the slide guitar maestro hasn’t accomplished.
Even before turning 12, Trucks was already leading his own group and performing alongside icons like Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, and Stephen Stills. In 1999, he joined the Allman Brothers Band as a full-time member, helping carry the torch of Southern rock until the group’s dissolution in 2014. In 2010, he joined forces with his wife, Susan Tedeschi, to form the powerhouse Tedeschi Trucks Band, widely celebrated for its genre-blending musicianship and soul-stirring live performances.
Over the years, Trucks has graced the stage at The White House for President Barack Obama, collaborated with luminaries like Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Herring, and more, and earned praise from none other than B.B. King, who once said Trucks’ playing was “as good as [he’s] ever heard it” during a set at the Hollywood Bowl with John Mayer.
With a tone that is unmistakable and a style deeply rooted in blues yet expansive enough to encompass jazz, rock, and global influences, Derek Trucks remains a trailblazer, pushing the boundaries of what the guitar can express and leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of American music. Celebrate his birthday by revisiting some of his most electrifying solos.
Top 5 Derek Trucks Solos
[Video: Calidore Robinson]
Derek Trucks Guitar Solo Clip Compilation
[Video: JME Williams]
Happy Birthday, Derek!
[Originally published 6/8/17]