Susan Tedeschi

Susan Tedeschi

LIFE WON'T WAIT

Post-Grammys and Raising a Family, Susan Tedeschi Returns With Wait For Me
The new CD from singer/songwriter and guitarist Susan Tedeschi, Wait For Me , is one of the most-anticipated releases of 2002. That's partially because 1998's Just Won't Burn was such a hit, going gold and garnering a Grammy nomination. Plus Tedeschi's dynamic live performances showed a woman who was at home with blues, folk, and pop. But folks have also been also curious about how all the changes she's been through would affect her music. Once a single, constantly-touring performer, she's now married and a mother. But even with those life-enriching experiences Tedeschi continues to be a road warrior. Barnes & Noble.com's Roberta Penn caught up with Tedeschi in Los Angeles on the eve of her performance at Stormy Weather 2002, the Don Henley-produced concert that benefits Walden Woods.

Barnes & Noble.com: The last time we talked, you told me both B. B. King and Buddy Guy said you didn't need a guitar player in your band because you're a good guitarist. And, now, you've gone out and married one -- Derek Trucks.

Susan Tedeschi: Yeah, but I still don't have a guitarist in my band. I wish Derek was in the band.

B&N.com: At that time, you also didn't really live any place except on the road and used a cell phone to communicate. Do you actually live someplace now?

ST: Yes, I now have a home in Jacksonville, Florida, with my husband and son. It's peaceful. There's a lot of nature around me.

B&N.com: You and Derek seem like a natural match. You both have a lot of blues in your music, but also bring a lot of other sounds into play. How did the romance happen?

ST: My band was opening for the Allman Brothers Band in December of '99 and he was playing with them. That's how we got together. It was wonderful. And now we have Charlie, our eight-month-old son.

B&N.com: I understand you and Derek were married by a sacred steel guitarist who is also a minister.

ST: Yes, Aubrey Ghent came down from Tennessee to Jacksonville to marry us. He, his wife, and their band also performed, and Derek and I both got up and sang and played with Aubrey. Even Derek had his mouth open when Aubrey was playing and that doesn't happen very often.

B&N.com: You can really tell you've settled down, just by listening to Wait For Me. Did you feel that way when you went into the studio?

ST: Yes, I was much more grounded. Its nice to feel that way. Its been different because I had the baby between recordings. I toured the first three months I was pregnant, then went into the recording studio in November, and then had him in March and went back into the studio.

B&N.com: Its kind of ironic that "Alone" is the first single and, yet, you are not alone now. How did that come about?

ST: The record company picked it out. They gave me a list of songs and that's one of the one's I picked to record. But I am alone a lot on the road and at home. We're both on the road. And when I was pregnant, I was alone a lot. I spend a lot of time alone.

B&N.com: I can tell that's Derek playing slide on Paul Pena's "Gonna Move." How did you feel about him coming in to work on the album with you?

ST: I really wanted him to play on my album. I want him to play with me whenever possible. And I was on his CD too -- A Joyful Noise -- along with Solomon Burke and Ruben Blades. It's an amazing record. The band on my record is my band that tours with me. Two tracks have different musicians because my band couldn't get into the studio at that time and so some of my friends came in.

B&N.com: I love it that you have Johnnie Johnson playing on "I Fell in Love." The tune even has a Chuck Berry feel to it.

ST: Yeah, that's why I thought of him. And I had played with him before.

B&N.com: What kind of music does baby Charlie dig?

ST: He likes all music, but he really likes daddys music. He likes Sesame Street music and Indian classical music. He likes Etta James and Les Paul. When Daddy and I went and sat in with Les Paul one night, he told us to bring Charlie up on stage and we did. He loved it.

B&N.com: Will Charlie keep you from touring behind the album?

ST: I've been on the road since he was 10 days old. We get to have a lot of amazing experiences together. I'm on the road myself now, singing for the Walden Woods benefit. And Derek is always on the road. His band works 250 shows a year and the Allmans work about 50, so he has about 50 off.

B&N.com: And what are you listening to on the CD player these days?

ST: I like the Nora Jones record. I'm always listening to a lot of old music to educate myself. The Etta James box set is great. "These Foolish Things" is on that box set and I'm doing that tomorrow night. That and " River" by Joni Mitchell. She's gonna be there, so I'm a little scared.