Shonna Tucker has left Drive-By Truckers

My favorite coffee cup, as requested by Traci Jean, the person who got us into Drive-By Truckers in the first place. Jerri's mom gave it to be because it was the one I always picked when we went out to their farm. It's from when she lived in Germany in the 70's - it has "W - GERMANY" embossed on the bottom.

Lou Reed, Legendary Hearts
The Black Keys, Brothers
Drive By Truckers, The Big To-Do
The Cars, Candy-O

Shonna Tucker has left Drive-By Truckers as their bassist and feminizing influence, and it would be incredibly tacky to suppose that the boys were all now wondering if they could, er, coax a certain churchboy-singin' guitar player back in the band now, so don't even go there. I'm embarrassed you even brought it up.

I got to go up to the green room at Tipitina's on the last night of the Dirt Beneath tour while Jason Isbell spent (I think) his last night as a Trucker loading the bus. He said, "Oh yeah, they're all up there." This was before there was any announcement about him and Shonna splitting up and his leaving the band. I thought it was weird that he was downstairs when I got up there. Patterson had done a blurb for my first book so I wanted to give him a copy, which was my in.  Shonna invited me to do a shot of Jack with her and the band and I managed to not spazz out. Anyway, Shonna is a class act, and I look forward to what she's got coming up next.


Sweet Soul Cookin' with Shonna Tucker. I would watch her rub chicken grease on bass strings on a regular basis.


Drive-By Truckers, "The Fourth Night of My Drinking"

In case you've forgotten, The Big To-Do is a motherfucker of a record.

So yes. No point in beating one's breast over a band lineup change. She kept that job for eight years which is a long time, almost as long as I've had that coffee cup. Things break, go missing, you get a new vessel and fill that one up next. Cheers!