Susan Tedeschi: Dreams and Legends

AAJ: I was at that opening concert in the South of France and that was very special.

ST: It really was, that whole tour was like a dream. [Laughing] I kept thinking, "Oh, God, My husband is playing with Eric Clapton!"

I always knew Derek was incredible, but I said, "Honey, you've made it!" But Derek just thought of him as a fellow musician, I don't think it hit him like it hit me. You know what I mean.

AAJ: Right, and it's probably a good thing because it would be difficult to perform if you were totally in awe. At that concert, when Derek took his solo, Eric started nodding his head and he had this big smile on his face and you could tell how much he liked it.

ST: It's funny about that tour, Derek, Doyle and I were talking and saying there's got to be more of that Dominoes material in there. Eric didn't really want to play those songs, but those two convinced him, so that's how they got that Derek and the Dominoes material on the tour, which was really cool. Because they had Derek, whose has a style similar to Duane who was on the record, and Doyle was perfectly suited for his [Bobby Whitlock's] part. I thought it was just a great combination with the three of them if you know what I mean.

AAJ: In terms of people you've had a chance to meet, who thrilled you the most?

ST: Oh gosh, these are not fair questions. Obviously, meeting Barack Obama was a huge thrill. You know, getting to go to the White House, getting to play at the Inauguration, and meeting him and his wife was wonderful and thrilling.

I really need to write a book and remember everybody whom I've met.

AAJ: Chuck Leavell kept a journal.

ST: That is a smart thing to do. Especially for me having been so blessed to have toured with everybody from the Stones to the Grateful Dead, from Pinetop Perkins to BB King, it's ridiculous. I need to write it all down, Dylan, Santana...

AAJ: You could write a chapter for each of the people you've opened for.

ST You're right, I could call it Opening for Legends, or something. You know, one of my first encounters was when I was 10 years old and I was auditioning for Broadway. I was thrilled just to be there, it was the height of that whole thing when little girls were into Annie. Anyway, I was staying at the New York Hilton hotel and the Bee Gees were coming and I was running back to the hotel to get my grandmother and I ran into this guy.

He said [in a Southern accent], "Slow down little darlin.'" I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you." Then he asked where I was going in such a hurry. I told him, "I'm running to get my grandmother because the Bee Gees are coming." Then, he said, "You like the Bee Gees?" And I said, "Well, they're singers, and I'm a singer." So he says, "You're a singer? Well, I sing, too, and I play guitar. Maybe we'll sing together someday." This guy was just the sweetest, he was adorable. He was all dressed in black, and he was wearing an "I Love New York" pin, and he took it off and gave it to me.

Ten years old, and I have that pin to this day. It was Johnny Cash.

I told Willie Nelson this story, but unfortunately I never got to meet Johnny because he was very sick at the time, his wife had just passed. Still, to have that moment with Johnny, that was thrilling. I think when I ran into Johnny Cash that was the start of my good luck, things started looking up from then on.