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It used to be that I could bring the kids anywhere. Now that Charlie's going to be starting school this fall, I'm going to have to be at home during the week more and only tour on the weekends. So, that part is tough because I can't go out for six weeks anymore like I used to. Sometimes it's hard to just play on the weekends and then try to recapture that the next weekend after five days off.
-Susan Tedeschi on touring with the family |
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Photo by Josh Mintz
Tell me a little bit about the guys you've got playing with you on this tour. I know the majority of this band comes from Derek's band but you've also got Ron Holloway playing sax with you. Ron's a monster – he's one of my favorite sax players out today.
Ron Holloway by Tennille |
DT: He's a great player, and he knows how to get through in a setting like this. There are a lot of great tenor players out there but in a rock band setting, which essentially is what this is, a lot of horn players can't break out the blade, cut through all the noise and get to the point. Ron absolutely can.
ST: Or blending with the rest of the music. Ron is great at blending in and making everything sound great.
DT: Yeah, it's not like he's a rock saxophonist, which I really don't like. Ron played with Dizzy Gillespie, so he's got the street cred and jazz chops. He's done some great stuff with Gil Scott-Heron and Root Boy Slim for more of the esoteric stuff. I played with him in the Allman Brothers Band some and he's been in Susan's band full-time for the last two years. My guys have been playing together for so long that it just seemed like the natural group to take out...
ST: Yeah, but I had to have someone from my camp represent, so I told Derek we had to bring Ron. [laughs]. Everyone really loves having him around 'cause he's so great at teaching us about a lot of stuff. He's been around so much, he's kinda like Jaimoe in that way. He's got a great outlook on life and some great stories to tell.
When I saw that he was playing on this tour, I immediately thought of that tune Aretha did with King Curtis and Duane Allman, "It Ain't Fair." Figured that would probably make an appearance at some point.
Derek Trucks by Rod Snyder |
DT: That's a great tune. I haven't heard it in a while.
ST: What is it? It's called "It Ain't Fair?"
Yeah, it's on This Girl's in Love With You with "The Weight," "Dark End of the Street," "Hey Jude," "Eleanor Rigby" and "Son of A Preacher Man," I believe. It's among my favorite of Aretha's Atlantic stuff, one of her more underrated albums.
DT: I need to hear that again. Might have to throw that on the list. Write that down for me! [laughs].
Will do. So today's Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to you.
DT: Thank you, thank you.
Wanted to ask you both how parenthood has changed your life and the balance you have to strike between your career and family.
ST: You have to think about a lot more than just yourself and your career since you have other people depending on you.
DT: Being on the road and scheduling requires a lot more thought now than a few years ago. You can't just get up and go without thinking about your other responsibilities anymore. It's been nice the last few years because we could bring the kids on the road with us with a nanny and still do as many dates as we wanted.
Derek & Susan by Josh Mintz |
ST: It used to be that I could bring the kids anywhere. Now that Charlie's going to be starting school this fall, I'm going to have to be at home during the week more and only tour on the weekends. So, that part is tough because I can't go out for six weeks anymore like I used to. Sometimes it's hard to just play on the weekends and then try to recapture that the next weekend after five days off. But, we're doing our best. We try and bring the kids with us when we can, like for this tour. They're Silver Medallion on Delta now... I'm not so sure that's a good thing yet or not [laughs].
DT: Yeah, it's a little different than most kids their age but they've gotten to see some pretty amazing places like Japan and the south of France this past year on the Clapton tour.
ST: We got on a flight the other day and Charlie sat down next to this older woman who was flying for the first time. She told him she was a little nervous and he patted her on the arm and said, "Don't worry, I've flown a lot. You can hold my hand."
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