Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks – HuffPost 6.8.11

Mike Ragogna: What advice do you guys have for new artists?

Susan Tedeschi: I would say don’t get frustrated. Just keep working at it, you know? It’s a really tough time right now, so don’t expect to sell millions of records or have the price of gas go down anytime soon. (laughs) Try to book a lot of stuff nearby. (laughs) Honestly, just write your heart out every day and get out there and do it and love it, and if you don’t love it, I don’t really know how to speak to that. Just do it ’cause you love it, and don’t get frustrated. It’ll get better.

Derek Trucks: Yeah. I think that once you get the bug for this, you have to realize that it’s a life-long study. Hopefully, it doesn’t come too quick and easy…in my opinion, you’re better prepared when it’s a slower build to this level. Just be willing to hit the road and do it. The real way to make your career work hasn’t changed in years and that’s to get out there and work and cut records and take your lumps and roll down the road. The old paying your dues adage is true. You just have to be willing to strap in and know that it’s not the best way to make a living, you know? Tom Dowd, a legendary producer, used to always joke that in the music business, you can’t make a living, but you can get rich. (laughs) So, you have to be willing to not make a living and keep doing it. (laughs) All of the people in this band made that choice very young. They were going to do it regardless of successes. Once you get in that mindset, everything else is icing. If it does happen to work out, you’re really pumped.