MUSIC INTERVIEW: BUTCH TRUCKS

Legendary Allman Brothers Band Drummer Keeps It Live & Loved

By: Team Buzzine

March 14, 2009

“Mr. Trucks is my father’s name. I’m Butch.” This was the first thing the legendary drummer for The Allman Brothers Band told me when I spoke to him this past Wednesday, his first day off since the start of this year’s Beacon Run. Avuncular and straightforward, his gruff voice belies the 61-year-old musician’s easy-going demeanor.

A band tradition since 1989, the Beacon Run is a string of shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre. This year marks the band’s 40th anniversary. For a band based in Macon, Georgia, an annual tradition in New York City might seem a little confusing. Luckily, Butch filled me in.

“New York has always been good to us,” he said. “New York City is New York City… It’s a special breed of people up here.”

Why the Beacon Theatre specifically?

“We had the option of either playing [Madison Square] Garden a couple of nights, or a smaller venue,” he explained. “[The Beacon] is just more laid-back and clean. It’s like old family has come to visit. You really find the courage to take chances and experiment.”

The Beacon is much more intimate than the Garden, seating only 2,800 people. Starting this year, fans can watch all 15 shows on a live, streaming web cast through Butch’s website. In addition to the concert footage (which costs the price of a $125 subscription to the website), Moogis also has a separate social networking function.

“The whole point is to create a community where everyone can get together. I go to the website every day before the show and get a lot of input,” Butch said of his brainchild, which has been five years in the making. “The feedback has been nothing except, ‘This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.’”

The band has dedicated this year’s run of shows to founding member Duane Allman, who died tragically in a motorcycle accident in 1971.

“We haven’t dedicated anything to Duane since [Eat a Peach, the band’s seminal 1972 album]. It’s messed up. Without Duane, none of this happens.”

Butch remembers Duane fondly, recalling those first years of the band when they laid down such hits as “Whipping Post,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” and “Little Martha.” The music for the latter adorns Duane’s gravestone.

“I’m having more fun now than I think I’ve had since Duane died,” he told me, his voice simultaneously wistful and excited.

This year’s run has already seen the band playing with guests like Taj Mahal, Levon Helm of The Band, Johnny Winter, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, and Bruce Willis. And there are still many more to come as the band continues its run through March 28th.

The only exception was on March 26th.

“The 26th is the day we started [the band], so that’s gonna be just us.”

Old and new fans alike are sure to be pleased by the run of shows. In addition to covering the songs of their guest artists, The Allman Brothers Band will run through its entire catalog over the course of these 15 nights.

“We’ll go through pretty much every song we know,” Butch said, also noting that “some of the songs are worth repeating.”

As a southern rock jam band, it’s expected that the shows will include a lot of improvisation.

“One thing about the Beacon is every night is a surprise.”

For those fans who can’t make the trek to see this year’s run, Butch promises more to come.

“We’ve done it for 20 years; we might as well not stop now,” he told me, his voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. “If you had told me ten years ago I’d still be playing and having as much fun as I am… It doesn’t show any signs of slowing down right now. We take it one day at a time.”