Tedeschi Trucks Band ‘Keep On Growing’ & ‘Smilin’ With Anders Beck & Jimmy Hall In Nashville

Tedeschi Trucks Band played their first full-band outdoor show in Nashville since 2013 on Saturday. Nashville residents Anders Beck and Jimmy Hall served as the welcoming committee by sitting in with the TTB at different points of the Saturday night concert at Ascend Amphitheater.

While Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium has been an annual stop for the ensemble led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks since 2015, Tedeschi Trucks Band’s only other Music City concert took place on July 19, 2013 at Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater. The TTB’s Ascend Amphitheater debut was “An Evening With” affair consisting of two full sets.

After focusing on originals for the bulk of their first set, Tedeschi Trucks Band covered Junior Wells’ “Little By Little” late in the frame. Then, “Do I Look Worried” was followed by a set-closing take on the Derek & The Dominos classic “Keep On Growing” that saw the band joined by Anders Beck. The Greensky Bluegrass dobroist previously joined Tedeschi Trucks Band at SPAC last month on the same song.

Tedeschi Trucks Band returned to kick off the second set with beloved favorites “Midnight In Harlem” and “Made Up Mind.” After covering The Allman Brothers Band‘s “Come & Go Blues,” the powerhouse 12-piece brought out Wet Willie frontman Jimmy Hall to sing the band’s Southern rock anthem “Keep On Smilin’.” Jimmy Hall also blew harp on the hit song he co-wrote as the title track of Wet Willie’s 1974 album.

“Keep On Smilin'” was among five covers Tedeschi Trucks Band debuted at their hometown 2023 Summer Tour opener in Jacksonville, Florida. The group had since played 33 additional versions leading up to Hall’s guest appearance on Saturday.

Watch Jimmy Hall lead the TTB through “Keep On Smilin'” via fan-shot video below:

Tedeschi Trucks Band went sans guests for the rest of the show. “Just Won’t Burn” from Tedeschi’s 1999 solo album of the same name followed “Keep On Smilin'” and gave way to the Kofi Burbridge tribute “Soul Sweet Song.” Next, Alecia Chakour fronted a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair” before the TTB returned to the ABB catalog for a “Dreams” that bled into “I Want More,” which gave way to “Beck’s Bolero” to end the second set.

Susan Tedeschi and keyboardist Gabe Dixon got the encore underway by dueting on the Bonnie Raitt-popularized “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” The rest of the band then came back out for the “Show Me” (Joe Tex) finale.

Tedeschi Trucks Band returns to The Beacon Theatre in New York City for concerts on Tuesday, September 24 and Wednesday, September 25. Two nights at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre follow.

Watch more audience-captured video from Tedeschi Trucks Band’s recent show in Nashville: