Tedeschi, Susan

Biography

Susan Tedeschi was born on November 9, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in the nearby town of Norwell in a middle-class family. She made her public debut as a five-year-old understudy in a Broadway musical and began performing in bands at age 13, forming her first all-original group, Smokin' Section, at 18. Influenced by her father's record collection featuring blues legends like Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin' Hopkins, she attended Berklee College of Music, earning a Bachelor of Music in composition and performance by age 20, while immersing herself in Boston's blues scene through jam sessions and gigs on the Spirit of Boston.

Tedeschi formed the Susan Tedeschi Band in 1993, releasing Better Days in 1995 and the breakthrough Just Won't Burn in 1998, which achieved gold status (500,000 sales)—rare for a blues album—and earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2000. She opened for major acts like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers Band, Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, and the Rolling Stones in 2003, gaining national exposure. Her style blends gritty blues guitar, emotional vocals, and roots influences, often touring with Derek Trucks in the Soul Stew Revival collective before forming the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2010.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band, co-led with husband Derek Trucks (whom she met in 1999), released Grammy-winning Revelator (2012) and has earned multiple nominations, Blues Music Awards, and an Americana Duo/Group of the Year honor. Tedeschi's legacy endures as a Grammy-nominated powerhouse in blues rock, celebrated for her guitar prowess, soulful singing, and commitment to the genre's emotional depth.

Fun Facts

• She is the great-granddaughter of the founder of Tedeschi Food Shops, a Massachusetts chain started in 1923 and later acquired by 7-Eleven.
• Just Won't Burn (1998) reached gold status with 500,000 sales, a rare feat for a blues album, and earned a 2000 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist alongside pop stars like Britney Spears.
• Tedeschi attended predominantly African-American Baptist churches as a youth, drawn to their celebratory gospel music over her Catholic church choir.
• Opening for the Rolling Stones in 2003 across massive U.S. arenas provided huge exposure but little profit, as she barely broke even after paying her band.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tim Gearan - Taught her fundamentals of blues guitar (Early Susan Tedeschi Band development) [mid-1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Derek Trucks - Husband, frequent touring partner, co-leader of Tedeschi Trucks Band and Soul Stew Revival (Soul Stew Revival, Tedeschi Trucks Band albums like Revelator (2011)) [1999-present]
• Tom Hambridge - Grammy-winning drummer in early Susan Tedeschi Band, producer (Better Days (1995), Just Won't Burn (1998)) [1993-1990s]
• Adrienne Hayes - Vocalist/guitarist in early band (Susan Tedeschi Band formation) [1991-1993]
• Sean Costello - Guitarist on debut album (Just Won't Burn (1998)) [1997-1998]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia