The Derek Trucks Interview 

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More than a great artist, Derek is an absolutely wonderful human being. Soft spoken, humble and you can tell watching him play with anyone - he is working for the music, not himself. He's a treasure.

What I learn: - Those artists work their asses off - they don't complain - they say good things about other people

I shared this same comment in a recent video of Derek Trucks sitting in with Phish. But wanted to post again to reiterate what so many commenters have written below about Derek being a great person. Way back in 1996, I was a guitarist in a band, and we had the chance to open for a 16- or 17-year old Derek Trucks (with his band) at some tiny coffee shop in New Cumberland, PA. And let me put it this way: my band was not going to be lighting the world on fire. And that’s being kind. And of course even back then, Derek was a phenomenal talent. Clearly in another league. But this dude made a point to sit down and listen to us play and clap for our songs. At such a young age, he had already played with some of the best musicians on the planet (and now he is one). But he still took the time to listen to us and support us. That’s a kind soul right there. I’ve seen him play a dozen times since then throughout the years and am always swept away by how he makes his guitar sing. But that coffee shop in 1996 is my strongest memory of him. A class act.

Huge props to Rick for playing a very much secondary role and letting Derek get his full thoughts out. Takes a lot of discipline

This is officially my favorite video you've ever done.

Child prodigy became grown man prodigy. I love Derek's playing. The Master of Silde.

The only guitar player I have ever heard in my 65 years that almost brought me to tears (Midnight in Harlem). No one else I've heard in modern music plays with his emotional chops.

Man what a class act. Polite, thoughtful, well-spoken, and one of the best musicians in the world.

Derek is special...He's one of 'them', goes beyond guitar playing. He's a true musician.

This is the best interview with Derek on the internet! Not only were the questions relevant and educated, but we got to hear Derek play something no one has heard him play. Well done Rick!

When you’ve played with The Allman Brothers at 12 years old, where do you go from there? Derek could have taken a shortcut to fame as a guitar prodigy, but instead he’s chosen to be a lifelong student of music and to develop his gift (and ours 💜). Shoutout to Rick as well for a great interview.

I am so pleased that the Allman Bros. tradition continues.

Child prodigy who got even more impressive as he got older. So rare.

Now that was an easy interview, wasn't it? I didn't know that Derek Trucks is a gifted storyteller, too. And everything comes across as heart-felt. Such a beautiful soul.

I saw Derek the first time at one of the Beacon shows in the early 2000s where he played opposite Warren Haynes (Chuck Leavell stopped in to play Jessica) was completely blown away - all the way to a couple years ago trading licks with Nels Cline, who sat in for most of a Tedeschi-Trucks' show at Red Rocks (Wilco was in town same weekend). This interview is a masterful testament to one of the greatest of all time, and where he came from - "they're all buried together..." wow, worth watching for just that moment.

This is the greatest interview I've ever seen. All of Derek's stories, memories, influences, insights... the wealth of his inspirations. It's a touching and insightful interview from a sensitive, generous and humble musician and kind human being. This is just perfect. And most of all, inspiring!

To be that f-ing talented and that humble--- what a nice guy Derek Trucks is...MASTER of slide -- Duane Allman would be proud...

As legendary a Slide player he is, I absolutely love his fingerpicking and phrasing without the slide. How he's incorporated old school Soul music, Coltrane and jazz influences, Eastern sounds, Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, love the blend! ~ Music is the Best!

When you think of Derek Trucks, you never think of the phrase "Resting on his laurels". It was rewarding to hear about all of the influences he brought out in this interview. Regardless of who they are, he's having fun with HIS music inspired by theirs. What a bright spirit this guy is! Makes you feel good just listening to him talk about things he loves... including his wife, Susan Tedeschi.

Great interview with stellar slide guitarist Derek Trucks. He mentions my father, Lowell George as an influence about 8:15 into the video. Love you, Derek! Well done, @Rick Beato!

This is not an interview. It's tapping into a stream of musical consciousness and the source which every musician searches for in honoring all on whose shoulders they stand.

One of the finest players in the world

So great to see Derek healthy, happy, and still that humble assassin. Living his best life and killing that guitar game.

I just can’t get over just how excited he is about music history and his almost child like excitement over all the musicians he met and listened to. ❤

Rick, you are making history interviewing the greatest musicians of our time. Not only that but you ask relevant questions, due to your immense musical knowledge, instead of the regular repetitive run-of-the-mill questions that people from corporate media do once they land these kinds of interviews. Derek has been one of my favorite players for a while and it was great of you to make his introvert self comfortable with your well-informed questions. Maybe one day you land a McCartney or Ringo interview. One can only dream. Fingers crossed though.

Wow Rick, this will be one of those caches of clips people will play forever when they talk about Derek in his later years and when he's gone. It will be considered one of the best interviews with him ever. A true gem of history!

My goodness, Derek is just off this world..... I am a metal guy, I do not understand the language he speaks. But his playing.... wow.

I try to watch and listen intently to every video I run across that features Derek and/or Susan, or best of all, both of them together. I can honestly say that I've never seen another video with Derek so animated, visibly happy, and wide open to taking the conversation in any direction it just flowed into in this vid. He and Susan are so NOT pretentious, or competitive in their playing. Everything with them is about going wherever the music takes them when playing, or wherever it just naturally flows to when doing sit-down interviews, and how willing he is to give so completely of himself and the "Inside Baseball" narratives sharing info that most people have no idea how much depth people of his musical prowess simply have to possess to bring the listening audience along with him so that we feel as much as is humanly possible like we were there the night the Colonel died on-stage, or how much he really thought about the ABB family and on and on and on, while never boring the audience to tears or getting bored himself and just going through the motions. The dude just took us on a ride that only he and a handful of other people in the world know about from such a personal perspective. I want to thank Derek for even doing this interview. It was one of the funnest times I've watched/listened to an entire relatively long interview where I wasn't tempted at least once or twice to bail before it was over, or skip a segment here and there or whatever. I sat here watching and listening straight through from beginning to end and had so much fun and smiled so intensely that I would've still been listening if it lasted 2, 3, 4 or even 5 times as long as it did. My only regret is that I can only like it once. It deserves more than that in my case anyway, and I seriously doubt I'm the only one who felt as strongly about it as I do. Well, gotta git. Time to take my mutt out for his last unloading of the day and night. Y'all take care and I hope all y'all enjoyed that at least half as much as I did, 'cause if at half-way, it should still make for a great way to end a day. Peace Out, Blues

Damn Rick you've really outdone yourself with this one. I've been blown away by every guest but Derek is one of the best in the world.

one of the greatest guitarists of all time. As an Indian I feel extremally proud that he got inspired from Classical Indian music.

My favorite current band, they have everything. I love Susan's singing as much as Derek's guitar playing.

A truly brilliant musician. Wise beyond his years. Uncommon ability to express his thoughts, feelings, and observations about his music and his influences. Above all, a quality human being. The real deal. I'd love to spend an evening with him over a dram (or six) of Laphroaig and hear the stories.

When BB King says "that's the best I've ever heard it", you know Derek's playing is special. Great interview!

This has got to be the single best interview with Derek out there. As a touring guitarist who started as a jazz horn player I’m happy to see I’m not too far off in my inspirations. The only other interview I would love to see would be Warren Haynes

Tremendous interview! Derek is typically very quiet and reserved…..it was great to hear him speak deeply, and at length, on a number of items. Very insightful guy……and a tremendous musician.

What a nice guy! I wish the regular guitarists were this humble. God bless

What a wonderful interview, Rick. There is so much more to Derek than his work with Susan and the band. He is truly a musician’s musician. No ego, just a deep appreciation for all genres of music. I had no idea he was such a jazz aficionado and that he has played with jazz greats like Elvin Jones. He is a national treasure. I loved every minute of the interview. Bravo!

Beato, you basically own the “interviewing musical artists” genre. Some of the best content being created today on any platform. Don Beato, we salute you!

Derek is the only artist who, when I last saw him, received a standing ovation in the middle of the first tune of the night. It went like that for the entire show. It was the third time I'd seen him but the people I was with had never seen him before. There was one "Oh my God!" after another from them the entire evening. I need to see him again. Soon.

This one sings to my heart. What a beautiful soul. You can feel the sincerity in his voice and playing. Much love and thank you.

Oh wow!!! Dereck Trucks!! I discovered his “Tedeschi-Trucks band” some time ago and it has become my favorite band even though I’ve always been into more Rock & Metal stuff. His soloing, their songs and arrangements, her soulful singing… I mean! I have loved all of your interviews, but this one’s special for me!

Derek is an utterly awesome musician and human being, and such a well thought-through, sensitive, revealing interview Rick, thank you.

Something I just realized about Derek. I noticed that he constantly talks about other musicians. It's not about him. He appreciates the musicians who influenced him as though he'd be no one without them. What a humble guy.

Witnessing the gratitude of Mr. Trucks toward those great artists who have come before attests to his own humble genius and genuine grace. Great interview Rick.

I don't know if I've ever seen Derek so comfortable and at ease as he was here. Fantastic interview. Your interviewing skills are impressive and underrated. Great job Rick.

The best interviews are the ones where the interviewer hardly says anything. I’m 2/3 of the way through this and am loving it.

Derek is a gift married to a national treasure!

Its been 4 days, still haven't finished the interview, i stop and check out everything they mention, what a resource!!

I just shake my head in awe. The tone and feel and the humility of the man. A blessing.

Amazing guitarist, passionate, joyful, humble… And the nicest guy ever. I’ve been watching him since he started opening for the Allman’s… then playing with them… then his solo stuff… then with Susan. So many of my favorite moments at concerts have had Derek on the stage. From tripping my balls off the first time in public at a Bros show where he opened at like 13 years old, to transcendental moments of Greg, Derek and Warren that make atheism impossible, to feeling the first drops of a passing storm on my face listening to Susan and Derek covering Rain as a tribute to Greg just days after he passed. His music and the music scene he’s spent his whole life immersed in have been one of the miracles in my life for sure.

I could listen to Derek trucks talk and play guitar all day. Humble, respectful and without a doubt one of the best guitarists ive ever heard. I saw him play with Clapton, Doyle Bramhall and Robert Cray and he blew them all away. His feel and slide play is unreal

Rick I LOVE how you sit and listen and give your guests space. We all know you are knowledgeable AF but you don’t feel the need to show it. You make it about the guest, not you and that’s why your interviews are so great. I hope more and more top artists decide to choose you to get their message out because they know it will be a quality interview and it will be about their music and only that

Derek and Duane. My favorite slide players. His impressions of discovering the Coltrane quartet is great. I still get chills listening to those guys play.

Elmore James, Duane Allman, Ry Cooder, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, Roy Rogers and this fella Derek Trucks are the finest slide guitar players I have ever seen and heard- the best of all time.

What an incredibly interesting interview! I always pictured Derek as quiet and reserved but being there at the Fox and in his element Rick really draws him out; the joy on his face and in his voice as he talks about music and his influences and those he’s known is just absolutely fascinating! Bravo Rick on this interview!!!

Oh boy you have blown me away with this. I adore The Allman Brothers Band and Derek's spell with Warren was fantastic.

I've seen Derek play with Eric Johnson and man, it was absolutely beautiful

Derek shared so much in this interview, fantastic. He's a deep thinker. Total respect.

GREAT INTERVIEW!!!! Thank you.

Incredibly humble guy while also being one of the best to ever pick up a guitar.

As a 62 years old musician who has met literally thousands of artists in my time, the greatest, and experienced live shows that to say the least were epic. But experiencing Derek live last year, and watching him dance around musically on stage with Susan and his band, that has to be one of the greatest musical moments I’ve ever had. You can throw around a lot of slide players names as being one of the best, but Derek IS the greatest. And he’s one of the most humble, connected people I’ve ever seen. What a great great interview, Rick, when you’re on, you’re on. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

What a pleasant surprise to hear Derek mention D'Gary as one of his favorite guitar players. D'Gary's percussionist is Mario, equally as incredible on the katsa as D'Gary on the guitar. I'll never forget that Atlanta house concert, seeing folks' reactions as they heard this mind-blowing duo. I was D'Gary's tour manager at the time.

I heard Midnight in Harlem for the first time while peaking and I’ll tell ya, there’s no more perfect, flawlessly made song front to back that I’ve ever heard. And music is literally all I do. Listen to it all day long. Non stop. All genres. Legendary.

Rick's greatest achievement might be as a music historian. Yet another grand slam of an interview. Derek is such an amazing cat. He used to hang and play with Mcoy and Elvin! thank you Rick for asking great questions and then letting him talk, and talk and talk..

A truly remarkable interview! Compelling conversation in a relaxed setting that gives me an even greater appreciation for Derek's approach to making music - and Rick's skills as an interviewer.

Wow, while I haver heard of Mr Trucks, I had never heard his music. When he mentioned he had horns, being a horn player, I immediately sought out a recording while driving on a road trip home. Thank you so much for the introduction! I absolutely love the harmonies and it's great to see a band with horns!

Without any "blowing smoke", this was the best, most enjoyable interview I think I've ever seen. Rick, you're a breath of fresh air as an interviewer. You were enjoying Derek's stories as much as I was. Never Once did you interrupt him. I also enjoyed it because in a round about way I felt close to him. In 1969, my band "Skunk Junction" opened for the Allman Bros. Band, and hung out with them before the show in St Petersburg, FL. I sat across from Derek's Uncle Butch as we sat in a circle and passed around a couple of joints and talked Music. Derek was so personable that I almost felt like he was in that circle, if makes any sense. Anyway, Thank You for a very enjoyable visit with Butch's Nephew.

Derek is such a solid guy. I truly appreciate getting to know this about him. The music was always up there; Now it has more value to me. Awesome interview Rick. You help make people shine.

"...Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery...Derek Bailey!!!!!" That moment is SO epic. Fantastic interview Rick. Derek is the real deal and then some.

Rick, thank you for this gift. I've never donated through RU-vid, but so appreciate your ability to allow *us* to experience what it feels like to hang with him, if only for a moment. Thank you for all the experiences, and inspiration you provide.

The number of cosmic "synchronicities" associated with everything and everyone evolving out of the Allman Brothers Band thing and everything Derek mentions here is amazing

What a great guy. Part of American Music Royalty.

Derek’s love, admiration and enthusiasm for the music legends that inspired him, truly show and shine through his playing. Wow, what a player and what a guy. Another great interview Rick! 🔥🙏🏻💪

Rick, I have been watching you for a long time. I think you are an honored member of the League of Èvtraordinary Gentleman and a living national treasure. You are a harbor of peace, joy and tranquility in an otherwise tumultuous world. Thank you, my friend. Shalom/gw

“Derek trucks is my favorite guitarist and the best guitarist alive right now.” -Trey Anastasio That’s all you need to know. This guy is absolutely on another level

This is by far the best Derek Trucks interview I've heard or read, what a pleasure to hear him talk in this super relaxed and musical setting. Thank you Rick, and I hope you take his word and visit their studio soon, maybe it could be a good way to show your audience how bands recorded in the old days vs nows. Best wishes from Chile.

As a drummer, it is so awesome to hear that Derek is a fan of Elvin Jones, perhaps the most innovative drummer of all time!

I’m less than three minutes in... this man is very intelligent

This is absolute gold. I want another chance to grow up so that I can be Derek Trucks the second time around. What a great player and person

I have been going to concerts since I'm 12. I have never heard a guitar solo that brought me to tears until I heard Derek Trucks play live.

I love when Derek says, “and that’s part of how you can hear around corners”…… Such a smart, cerebral line

I watched this for a second time this evening. Had a smile on my face the entire time as Derek talked and told his stories. As a music couple, Derek and Susan are truly something special! Kudos to Rick for his listening skills. Watching the 2023 Japan Tour on RU-vid, which is beyond outstanding. Derek talking about the COVID times and how much time the band worked together; am sure the new tour is reflective of those times. First good thing, I have heard, that has come out of COVID!!!

Rick you've outdone yourself yet again, seeing the enthusiasm the two of you have for music is beyond inspiring, I'm reaching for my guitar now :)

Rick, I didn’t think your previous interviews could be beaten but what do I know? Just a great guy and an interviewers dream. 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸

I recently learned of Derek by accident, I have been a music fan since the 50s. Music is such an endless treasure. Thank you. Gerald.

One of the best invterviews I've ever seen. Derek is just an amazing human being on every level. His aura just exudes warmth, personality, humbleness and decorum. The type of dude that anyone would love to just hang with. And on top of all that, he is hands down the greatest slide guitarist ever. It's not even close. The man is literally a musical savant. I could listen to him play 24/7. And I could listen to him talk all day 24/7 as well, haha. I can't wait to get home and bust out my slide and mess around with some of his techniques that he discussed. Amazing interview Rick!

Genetic gift + osmosis + sincere gratitude for those things, and a dogged work ethic to earn his keep. He is pure class.

Amazing! So rare to see Derek do an interview, and then this! Great work Rick.

thats wild you really got DEREK TRUCKS on your channel. great job

Possibly the best music business clip I have ever seen! I will be watching this again because it is so jam packed with information that we listeners rarely ever hear.

Epic match up of world class musician/artist with world class interviewer (and Musician with a capital M)!! We’ll all be listening to this one more than once.

The finest guitarist of several generations, leading the best live act on the planet. He makes the guitar elicit the most amazing sonic art.

This interview does not get old. Wonderful job both of you for who you are and what you do.

Can’t believe I just found this guy, I know absolutely NOTHING yet and I can’t wait to get to know him. I just came across an old shirt of John Mayer and Derek playing together and the first phrases of his and was blown away! So unique and I could tell he understood the blues in a whole other way, sounded like an open channel like Stevie Ray. Also seen him and BB King in a clip, bout it so far but off the bat I already know there’s something special because I notice a bunch of people are playing in the style of Derek or do covers, he’s inspiring people to play and that’s a rare thing.

I have been playing seems like all my life. I've listened to a lot of great recordings. Seen a lot of great live bands. But this is the only man to take a solo during a live performance and actually Make me cry. This one Solo a moment in time. Touch my heart. So deeply I couldn't hold back tears. If that's not the meaning of soulful playing.I don't know what it is. I'm going to be 65 this year and may not have much time left. But I'll never forget that solo. And the joy that touched my heart.

Derek is one of a kind. His playing, his tone….you can hear 5 notes in a song and know it’s him.

This is special.Derrick brings The Allman Brothers good vibes into the future.

Great interview. I like how he mentioned Ali Akbar Khan as one of his influences alongside all slide legends, jazz musicians. I can totally agree why he was influenced as Sarod is slide instrument without frets with sympathetic strings. It has real unique sound. You are doing incredible work by interviewing such talented musicians, Rick. 👏👏

Rick didn't have to work very hard with this interview. Derek has so much to share, apart from being a fabulous musician he's a walking history book of American music.