Tedeschi Trucks Band Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (Live at LOCKN’)
Picture Joe Cocker on stage, contorting his body like he’s being electrocuted while his shoes are glued to a board. That wild, almost painful physicality wasn’t showmanship – it was pure soul pouring out through every muscle, every spasm, every desperate gesture. Cocker couldn’t just sing a song; he had to wrestle it into submission, and somehow that made everything more real, more urgent.
That’s the spirit Tedeschi Trucks Band captures on this mesmerizing tribute – not the movements, but the conviction. When you hear Rita Coolidge’s heartbreaking take on “Bird on the Wire” or the ensemble’s gospel-fired version of “The Weight” (somewhere between The Band and Aretha), you feel that same all-in commitment. Every song seeps into your skin. Most lift you up, some just make you reflect. At its best, it saves us. Cocker was all over it, not holding anything back. And Tedeschi Trucks do the same in this must-listen for music lovers.
Ten years after the fact, we finally get to relive one of those magical musical moments that reminds you why live music matters. Tedeschi Trucks Band’s tribute to Joe Cocker and Leon Russell’s legendary Mad Dogs & Englishmen isn’t just nostalgia – it’s a masterclass in how great songs transcend time when they’re handled with reverence and soul.
The original live album, released 55 years ago, captured something essential about music’s power during one of America’s most divisive periods. With Vietnam raging and the country fracturing, Cocker and his massive ensemble offered something desperately needed: communal joy, shared purpose, and the healing power of voices raised together. That spirit feels just as urgent today.
The 2015 LOCKN’ Festival performance brought together over 20 musicians on stage, echoing that communal spirit that made the original 1970 tour so special. Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi didn’t just recreate these classics; they channeled the same fearless, everything-on-the-table energy that made Cocker’s versions so transformative in the first place.
Derek’s slide work is pure poetry throughout, especially on “Darling Be Home Soon,” where his guitar literally sings with emotion. But it’s the way Susan handles the vocals that really captures Cocker’s spirit – not by imitation, but by bringing that same raw honesty and vulnerability. When she digs into “The Letter,” you feel every word.
The guest appearances elevate everything: Russell bringing some gumbo gusto, Dave Mason singing his own “Feelin’ Alright” brings everything full circle, while Warren Haynes adds his signature wails to “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window” (shout-out to Anders Osborne, who kills it on lead guitar here, too), Chris Robinson takes on the ambitious task of kicking off “With A Little Help From My Friends,” and he makes it his own, not trying to imitate. That’s why it works, and works well (with help from his friends, of course. Susan really brings it home). Robinson’s best moment, though, is on my favorite track on this album, “Space Captain” – where his vocals find that sweet spot between cosmic and grounded.
This isn’t just a tribute album; it’s a reminder of what’s possible when musicians come together without ego, united by love for the music. In our fractured world, hearing “With A Little Help From My Friends” performed by this massive ensemble feels like a prayer answered. The gospel-infused backing vocals, the horn section’s perfect punctuation, the way everyone seems to be listening to each other – it’s the kind of musical communion that’s increasingly rare. The timing to release this couldn’t be more poignant, especially as political violence escalates in the U.S.
What makes this even more special is that it’s as much reunion as tribute. Leon Russell wasn’t just paying homage – he was the original bandleader and musical director who assembled that legendary ensemble in 1970. Rita Coolidge, Chris Stainton, and Claudia Lennear were all there for the original tour, bringing authentic memories and lived experience to these songs. Russell’s piano work anchors everything, reminding us why he was such an essential part of the original magic. The way he and the TTB rhythm section lock in together proves that great music is truly timeless.
Everyone knows The Last Waltz but more should familiarize themselves with the magic that is Mad Dogs & Englishmen. This tribute captures why that original album remains one of rock’s greatest live documents.
Some albums you put on for background music. This one demands your attention, rewards your focus, and leaves you changed. In a time when we need healing more than ever, Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited offers exactly that – music as medicine, performed by musicians who understand its power.
Highlights: “Space Captain”(ensemble), “The Weight” (ensemble), “Darling Be Home Soon” (Derek Trucks’ slide), “With A Little Help From My Friends” (the whole beautiful mess of it)
Find more information here: https://www.tedeschitrucksband.com
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Show Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band in Tulsa
