Happy Birthday Susan Tedeschi: Performing Live At Farm Aid 1999

Susan Tedeschi celebrates her birthday today. The Grammy-winning lead singer and guitarist for Tedeschi Trucks Band was born on November 9, 1970 in Boston, Massachusetts. Susan would enroll in the prestigious Berklee College of Music in her hometown where she lent her powerful pipes to the Gospel choir and would graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree at just 20 years old.

From there Tedeschi dove into Boston’s music scene, sitting in on blues jams and eventually forming the Susan Tedeschi Band in 1993 where she honed her blues guitar chops, which, coupled with her killer vocals, caught the attention of Tone Cool Records. Susan would release her breakout sophomore solo album, Just Won’t Burn, through the label in 1998.

The following year, Tedeschi gained wider national attention as part of the traveling Lilith Fair festival. In the fall of 1999, Susan continued her rise with a slot at Farm Aid which took place that year at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia on September 12. Tedeschi shared the bill with current Farm Aid board members: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews Band (Dave joined the board in 2001) as well as Keb’ ‘Mo, Barenaked Ladies and Deana Carter.

Susan kicked off her three-song set with a take-no-prisoners version of “Rock Me Right,” written by renowned musician Tom Hambridge, who co-produced Just Won’t Burn with Tedeschi and also played drums in her band including Farm Aid. Susan then performed the title track from the album, a composition of her own, featuring stellar blues vocals and impressive guitar work. Tedeschi closed out the set with another Hambridge composition from Just Won’t Burn, “It Hurt So Bad.”

To celebrate Susan Tedeschi’s birthday, watch the celebrated vocalist and guitarist perform at Farm Aid in 1999 below:

Setlist

Set: Rock Me Right, Just Won’t Burn, It Hurt So Bad