Guitarist Derek Trucks to leave Eric Clapton for NYC Allman Brothers run

Guitarist Derek Trucks will leave Eric Clapton's band and return to the Allman Brothers Band for their annual "March Madness" dates at the Beacon Theatre in New York City this spring. Over the past year, Trucks has split his time between the Allmans, Clapton, and his own solo band, and he told Florida's Bradenton Herald, "The Allman Brothers Band has been really great this past year working around Clapton's schedule. I'm really grateful. They understood it was something I couldn't pass up."

Clapton has shows booked for the same late March to early April time period that the Allmans will be in New York, but Trucks will be on stage at the Beacon with the Brothers, as he's done since 1999. There's no word yet on whether Clapton will replace Trucks for those gigs.

Trucks said there hasn't been an issue with him touring with Clapton, which has caused the Allmans to alter their own plans. He told the newspaper he was "half expecting" some grief from bandleader Gregg Allman, then added, "But I think because of the reverence between Eric and (the late) Duane (Allman), (Gregg) understood. And it's not like they're competing groups. I think they were happy for me." Clapton and Duane Allman came together in 1970 on the Derek & the Dominos album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs.

Clapton's world tour resumes on Saturday (January 13th) in Singapore. The annual New York City residency for the Allman Brothers Band runs from March 22nd to April 7th.
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