Music is the gospel for Flannel Church

Duane Trucks says he's been privileged to get guidence from older musicians. Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe recently turned him on the music of New Orleans drum great James Black.

Drummer Duane Trucks says there's a philosophy to the music of the band Flannel Church:

"You're not playing music for the money. You're not playing music for women or fame. You play music to pick people up! I'm lucky to be playing with people with the same attitude. ... Sometimes the groove is so thick that it ain't just you playing it's something coming through you. You become the medium."

Trucks says some of that attitude comes from playing with legendary Atlanta guitarist and bandleader Col. Bruce Hampton. Hampton tells band members, "I don't want to hear you. I want to hear what comes through you."

Hampton is the common thread between the core of Flannel Church — Trucks, bassist Kevin Scott and guitarist Gregory "Wolf" Hodges. Trucks and Scott are members of the group Bruce Hampton and Pharoah Gummit. Hodges played with Hampton in the band the Codetalkers, before he relocated to New Orleans.

When Gummit visited New Orleans in 2010, Hodges was ready to guest with the band onstage.

"I knew I wanted to play with those guys, because they sounded great and I really liked their personalities," says Hodges. "And my drummer and bass player bailed out on a gig and I called up Wayne and Kevin and said, 'Can you guys help me out?'"

Roosevelt Collier, steel guitar with the Lee Boys and a friend of the other musicians, was also in town for the gig.

"Once we played together we were like, '(Expletive), we got to do that again!'" says Hodges.

"It all kind of happened real quick," says Trucks. "Everybody was, 'I like playing with you!' and 'Well, I like playing with you! We've got some open time. Let's book some stuff!' Everyone is really excited and looking at it seriously right now."

The group had its official debut on Dec. 28, 2010, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Trucks' hometown), on Trucks' 23rd birthday. Collier and guitarist Shane Pruitt are the floating members. Shows feature at least one and sometimes both on guitar.

Both Trucks and Hodges says they were raised in families soaked in music.

Duane is a nephew of Butch Trucks of the Allman Brothers Band and younger brother of famed guitarist Derek Trucks. He grew up Jacksonville watching Derek perform on stage.

"I started playing really young. Got my first drum set when I was 3 years old because my mom was tired of me beating up her pots and pans with spoons. It was something I did, but I didn't really know what I was doing. I would sit in with Derek's band when I was younger. I'd play the same tune every night — 'Superstition.'"

He says he dropped out of playing for a couple of years in his early teens, but jumped back in when he was about 15.

"I just feel lucky to have been raised in an environment that promotes creativity," says Trucks. "I just feel really lucky to have gotten musical advice from all of the people I've been able to meet. More than anything, you really learn a lot having a big brother who turns you on to great records."

Hodges grew up in Spartanburg, S.C.

"My whole family plays," says Hodges. "My dad plays guitar and he started showing me stuff. I remember one night he called me out to the bedroom when I was about 9, and if my dad was getting me out of bed sleeping at 8 or 9 it was something serious."

The reason was to see B.B. King perform "How Blue Can You Get?" on TV.

"I remember I got cold chills and when that happened it was like, 'That's it. That's what I'm doing!' And it worked out."

Although all the musicians in Flannel Church have other projects, the members know there is something special about this group. Hodges says he could feel it the first time the band members played together:

"We were just bringing it on every song. We played for four hours straight and didn't care about taking a break. You don't need a break when you're on a ride like that!

© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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