Like many Boston-area residents Susan Tedeschi grew up watching the Boston Pops Fourth of July concert on TV. “It was something I always wished I could go to,” says the singer-songwriter-guitarist from Norwell.
Tedeschi is excited to get her wish this week when she hits the stage at the DCR Hatch Shell to celebrate Independence Day on Thursday alongside other New England-bred talent including Howie Day, Ayla Brown, and Ellis Hall.
Later this summer, the Berklee College of Music grad returns with husband Derek Trucks and their Tedeschi Trucks Band for two shows at the Bank of America Pavilion with the Black Crowes on July 30 and Aug. 6. The musical mates will be promoting the forthcoming TTB album, “Made Up Mind,” a scorching blend of blues, rock, country, and soul music due out Aug. 20.
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“My singing and his guitar playing really complement each other,” says Tedeschi about her musical bond with her husband, who will also return with the Allman Brothers Band at the Comcast Center on Sept. 6. “We almost have ESP.”
That mind meld has led to an exciting few years for the couple, including a Grammy win for their debut album, “Revelator,” and a gig at the White House jamming with such luminaries as Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, and the president himself.
“I have a definite sense of this being a really wonderful place to be with this band at this time.”
We chatted with Tedeschi by phone from a Wyoming tour stop.
Q. Like its title implies, “Made Up Mind” feels very decisive.
A. One of the reasons for that is for the first record, “Revelator,” literally, some of the guys were playing and meeting each other at the same time. I think the reason this one sounds more concise is because we finally were comfortable playing together. It was really just a couple of years playing together under our belts that made this one even more special.
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Q. Do you all approach the TTB with a different mind-set than your own bands or the Allman Brothers?
A. Oh yeah, they’re all different. That’s why it’s important that when you do do a band like this to just focus on the one band. At the end of the day when [Derek] goes to the Allman Brothers it’s like a job. He loves doing what he does, but I think he’d much rather focus his energy on one band and his family. He’s a very creative person and it’s hard to wrangle him for a long time in one spot — even for the [Eric] Clapton gig, which was amazing, but it’s going to be hard to keep him as a sideman when he’s so creative and has so many great ideas. In this band he’s really a leader and he gets to do a lot of the things he sees for the future, the bigger picture and how it can grow. I think this band is really special in that way for him, and for me too because we get to be together.
Q. You and Derek are both very skilled, are you ever competitive with each other musically?
A. The funny thing is, yes, we’re both very competitive, but when it comes to guitar that’s kind of a no-win situation for me. (Laughs.) It’s funny. I feel like I used to be a better guitar player than I am now just because I used to make myself play a lot more, because in my own group I would play more and I would practice more and would have more parts. But at the same time, I don’t know if I was necessarily better. Now I’m becoming more skilled, but at the same time I hold back a lot more so I don’t really know what I can do because there’s only so much time onstage. Having an 11-piece band, there’s so many amazing soloists, so when it comes down to it, I know I’m not the best soloist for the part always.
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Q. How was it playing the White House and with the president?
A. It was fun. Derek and I have been so lucky. Those moments are so special and our kids were there. You never forget those kind of moments and that’s why we do what we do. I wouldn’t want any other kind of job.
Q. I’ve always been curious, can you just go into any Tedeschi’s and take whatever you want and just show your ID?
A. Unfortunately, no. (Laughs.) I’d get scolded by my family members. You think of Tedeschi food shops or Angelo’s Supermarkets growing up — it was my grandfather and his brothers and sister that started it and there were five of them. And they all had kids and there are 25 of them. And then they all had kids and there’s 50 of us and then there’s our kids. So we can’t just walk into a Tedeschi’s and take whatever we want, because that would be like 250 people allowed to do that. (Laughs.) We would put ourselves out of business just with our own family.
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More information:
Tedeschi Trucks Band and the Black Crowes
Bank of America Pavilion, July 30 and Aug. 6, 6 p.m. Tickets: $45-$89.20. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com
Interview has been edited and condensed. Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter@GlobeRodman.