Who is Tedeschi Trucks Band? Meet Southern husband-wife duo singing national anthem at Kentucky Derby

The National Anthem is a tale as old as time in the sports world. Be it a local college game or the largest stages in sports, you can expect to hear that Star Spangled Banner wave.

For this year's Kentucky Derby, the band performing the American anthem has Southern roots and has deep connections to the Southern Rock and Blues scenes.

Tedeschi Trucks Band will be kicking off the festivities ahead of this year's horse races, singing the National Anthem in front of a huge crowd at Churchill Downs.

Here's everything to know about the career of this Blues band.

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Who is singing the national anthem at the Kentucky Derby?

Tedeschi Trucks Band will be singing the national anthem at the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The group won a Grammy in 2012 for Best Blues Album. 

This group is no stranger to a national anthem, previously performing at MLB games and at two Jacksonville Jaguars playoff games, in both 2023 and 2026.

Clip from our performance of the National Anthem tonight. Go Jags! pic.twitter.com/UpTiE2AAcX

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Who is Tedeschi Trucks Band?

Tedeschi Trucks Band is a blues group from Florida, led by the husband-wife duo of Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi. 

Each of the two previously had solo careers with their own respective bands. In 2010, they joined forces for one large, 12-member band combining their similar styles. 

The band tours around the world annually, and is most famous for songs like "Midnight in Harlem" and "Anyhow." 

Who is Derek Trucks?

Trucks is a 46-year-old guitarist and songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida. He used to be a member of The Allman Brothers Band, a southern rock group honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Grammys. 

He was with the group from 1999 until his departure in 2014, turning his focus to Tedeschi Trucks. In his brief overlap between bands, Trucks managed to win two Grammys in the same year with two different groups. 

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Who is Susan Tedeschi?

Tedeschi is a Boston Native who is now based in Jacksonville with Tedeschi Trucks. During her solo career, she received multiple Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist in 2000. 

Her album "Just Won't Burn" went platinum in 1998, allowing her to tour with the likes of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and B.B. King.

Are Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi married?

Yes, the pair was married in 2001, and will be celebrating their 25th anniversary this December. Tedeschi and Trucks have two children together.