The Tedeschi Trucks Band Brings Two Drummers To The Stage

The Tedeschi Trucks Band, with Tyler Greenwell and JJ Johnson, have utilized the "Allman Brothers" style of drumming by using two drummers on stage.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band is a mash up of some of the best musicians in the blues, roots and soul music arenas.  Derek Trucks, guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, and Susan Tedeschi, great singer and guitarist in her own right, joined up to create an eleven piece band called the Tedeschi Trucks Band that has been at the top of the blues charts for some time now.  Two of the eleven members in the band are Tyler Greenwell and JJ Johnson.  Both men are successful drummers already, but Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi decided to bring them together to create a new generation of “Allman Brothers” style of drummers.  The Allman Brothers were known to perform with two drummers simultaneously, and now Greenwell and Johnson are doing the same thing.  Both drummers compliment one another very well, staying out of each other’s way and contributing to the song before any flashy playing.  It’s pretty fun to watch them play together, so I put together a few videos that have the drummers playing together on stage plus a behind-the-scenes look at the players themselves.  I hope you enjoy the videos as much as I did!

I thought it would be best to meet the drummers first.  Tyler Greenwell and JJ Johnson sit down in an interview about playing together during the recording of the band’s album, “Revelator.”  Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSFs8QjKQ6Q.

Next, the Tedeschi Trucks Band performs one of their hit songs from the album called, “Midnight in Harlem.”  The drummers compliment each other well in the song, creating what sound to be one drum beat with two drummers.  Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wVWjl9Kq6U&feature=relmfu.

The last video I have for you features another hit song from the Tedeschi Trucks Band album, Revelator, called, “Bound for Glory.”  Greenwell and Johnson continue to meld their drumming styles into the single, full bodied dynamic sound from the drums.  Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxaineCMv38&feature=relmfu.

Tyler Greenwell and JJ Johnson have proven that a drummer’s responsibility is to provide the solid foundation needed for the band to build on.  One of the defining characteristics of the Tedeschi Trucks Band is having two drummers on stage playing on the same beat, providing the exceptional groove that they do.  I hope you enjoyed the videos as much as I did!

Thanks,

Chris