Perhaps no group better interprets the canon of classic rock ‘n’ roll than Tedeschi Trucks Band. They opened a recent show at the Warner Theatre — the first of three nights at the venue — with a blazing cover of the Box Tops’ “The Letter.” The song gave lead vocalist Susan Tedeschi the opportunity to show off her soulful singing.

Mixed in with their own original tunes, TTB covered both well-known classics and lesser-known gems, most of them with a connection to their base in the South, at the Warner Theatre on March 5. In the first set, they played Wet Willie’s “Keep on Smilin’” and the Allman Brothers’ “Stand Back.” The connection to the Allmans is personal. Guitarist Derek Trucks played in the band in its later days, and his uncle, Butch Trucks, was a founding member.

In the second set, they took on the blues with Bessie Smith’s with “Gin House Blues” and paid tribute to Trucks’s namesake with a cover of Derek & The Dominoes’ “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?” (TTB has also released a track-for-track cover of Layla, on which they collaborated with Phish’s Trey Anastasio). They also played George Harrison’s “Wah-Wah” and finished the set with Dr. John’s “I Walk On Guilded Splinters.” When they returned for their encore, they did Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” long a staple of Tedeschi’s repertoire, and sent the audience home with Joe Tex’s “Show Me.”

Watch Tedeschi Trucks Band perform Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” live on YouTube:

TTB is fairly characterized as a jam band. Their live sets feature long songs with lengthy instrumental sections and improvisation. But a few things set them apart from most jam bands. They emphasize vocals more than most groups in the genre, with several vocalists backing Tedeschi, and occasionally singing the lead. They also emphasize songwriting and composition in a way that most jam bands don’t. Songs like “Yes We Will” and “It’s So Heavy,” written in response to a school shooting, are more political than most jam bands get.

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi may be the driving force at the core of TTB, but the group operates in many ways like a collective. Multiple members of the band are involved in songwriting. “Ain’t That Something,” for example, was written by Derek, Susan, vocalist Mike Mattison, and keys player Gabe Dixon, who is an accomplished singer-songwriter in his own right. While Derek’s virtuoso guitar work is always a highlight of their shows, he doesn’t dominate, allowing for their performances to give spotlight to their horn section and percussionists.

Watch a visualizer video for “Ain’t That Something” by Tedeschi Trucks on YouTube:

While TTB qualifies as a jam band, they’ve won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for Revelator. When I spoke with Tedeschi several years ago, she said that, while it’s an honor to be nominated, she doesn’t consider what they do to be blues, preferring to classify the band as Americana. There’s a blues influence to what they do, but there are also influences from rock, country, R&B, and jazz. There’s a lot of New Orleans in what they do, and not just in the Dr. John cover. If I had to use a single word to describe their music, that word would be “Southern.”

After opening with the Box Tops Cover, the first continued with several of their original songs: “Do I Look Worried,” “Ain’t That Something,” and “It’s So Heavy.” The set also included “Where Are My Friends,” and “Yes We Will,” with “Bound For Glory” leading into the break.
The show resumed after intermission with one of Tedeschi’s songs, “Looking For Answers.” The Derek & The Dominoes cover was followed by “Let Me Get By,” which led into the Bessie Smith tune. The set also included “Anyhow,” “Hear My Dear,” and “Made Up Mind.”

I’m picky about jam bands. Tedeschi Trucks is unique and special. Their sound is fuller, the musicianship is top notch, and the songs are excellent. It’s always a pleasure to catch them live.

Here are some photos of Tedeschi Trucks Band performing at the Warner Theatre on March 5, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Mark Engleson.