Many of the best songs flow from wounded hearts, but it doesn’t necessarily take one to write a brilliant melody or killer riff.
That secret has been discovered by countless couples throughout the history of popular music: In song, as in love, it often helps to have a partner.
“I don’t know if it’s because we’re so tight, or that we’re married and have kids, but we have this incredible bond,” said Susan Tedeschi of her guitar-player husband, Derek Trucks. “Musically we’re soul mates and can almost read each other’s minds.”
Tedeschi and Trucks’ chemistry will be on display Saturday at the Paramount Theatre as the couple, both successful solo artists in their own right, unite for their Soul Stew Revival tour.
The Berklee-trained Tedeschi has released five albums of genre-hopping, guitar-based blues-rock. Trucks has played in groups led by Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy while working on his own solo career. Together, the married couple intuitively riff off each other, Trucks’ sprightly slide guitar mimicking Tedeschi’s husky vocals.
“It’s interesting to see how they influence each other,” said Warren Haynes, a friend of Trucks’ who has played with him in the Allman Brothers Band. “They’re matching each other, Derek’s guitar emulating Susan’s voice and vice versa.”
Tedeschi and Trucks’ creative intimacy exemplifies music’s ability to form and cement romantic relationships. Think Johnny Cash and June Carter, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, or Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. Granted, it doesn’t always work out – as in the cases of Sonny and Cher or even worse, Ike and Tina Turner – but emotional connections can blur the boundary between musical and romantic fulfillment.
Eryn Hoerig, singer and autoharp player in Denver-based group the Hollyfelds, appreciates the honesty her husband affords her when she writes music.
“He’s not going to lie to me if it’s a bad song,” she said. “He’s really kind about it, but for me it’s incredibly beneficial. It might seem hurtful for some people, but in our band it helps a lot.”
Husband Keith, formerly of local ska act Five Iron Frenzy, plays bass in the Hollyfelds. The folk-bluegrass group, which will perform tonight at the Walnut Room, coalesced around Eryn and Keith’s romantic relationship.
“I had just started writing songs after we got married three years ago and we would play together,” Eryn said. “We sought out other people to play with, and that’s how the band formed.”
Unsurprisingly, a host of other Denver couples work together musically, like Tammy Ealom and John Hill (Dressy Bessy), Jonathan and Leonora Till (Nathan & Stephen) and Colleen and Patrick Lee (The Beebs).
“I recommend it to anyone that can stand to be in the same room with their significant other for more than a half-hour,” Eryn joked.
However, just as in office environments, working closely with one’s spouse or boyfriend presents obstacles. Tedeschi and Trucks, who have been married for six years and have two children, found the realities of the music industry don’t mesh with maintaining a family.
“The challenges are dealing with all the outside forces like having two sets of labels, agents and management, and trying to get them to allow us to do what we want,” she said. “Touring is tough because I’m the mom, and when the kids come out they want to hang out with me.”
Tedeschi said she has grown accustomed to making enough time for her children and her music but that delegating time for her children, husband and her music can be prickly.
“Nowadays, with so many parents both working 9-to-5 jobs, a lot of people can attest to the fact that they’d love to be around each other all the time,” she said. “Our (situation) is a lot of work and very unconventional, but every day I get to play with him I feel blessed, especially when people like Eric Clapton want him out touring with them.”
Children obviously complicate the situation when a relationship doesn’t work out. Look at James Taylor and Carly
Simon, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown or Britney Spears and Kevin Federline (yes, calling him a musician is a stretch).
Surprisingly, some couples continue working together musically after the romance ends. Jack and Meg White, who divorced in 2000, continue to play as the White Stripes. Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes play together in Quasi.
But many couples manage to work through rough patches in their lives, often brought on by their tumultuous careers or artistic temperament. Musical couples in Low, Of Montreal and others serve as examples, with personal tumult usually serving as creative inspiration.
“Music is a very spiritual and emotional force,” Tedeschi said. “We can be so fiery or loving with each other, so it helps add to the intensity and spontaneity of our shows.”
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi
BLUES/ROCK|Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place; 8 p.m., Saturday, with Scrapomatic| $42-$50|Ticketmaster.com.
The Long Haul
Johnny Cash and June Carter
Cash and this Carter Family belle married in 1968. He later credited her with saving his life.
Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon
These alt-rock godparents married in 1984, long before they had Sonic Youth of their own.
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa
This couple worked together for years, Scialfa as a backup singer, before marrying in 1991.
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
Pop-country juggernauts Hill and McGraw married in 1996 following the appropriately-named “Spontaneous Combustion” tour.
Elvis Costello and Diana Krall
Costello and jazz singer Krall married in 2003, the same year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Ex Files
Sonny and Cher
These spangled one-name wonders split in 1974 at the height of their TV show’s popularity.
Ike and Tina Turner
Tina left Ike in 1976 after enduring his abusive behavior and drug habit for too long.
James Taylor and Carly Simon
The rigors of touring claimed their relationship in 1983, after 11 years of marriage.
Jack and Meg White
This duo still play together as the White Stripes but couldn’t stay together, divorcing in 2000.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey
Shiny teen pop stars Simpson and Lachey crumbled in 2006, despite their MTV reality show, “Newlyweds.”
– John Wenzel
