Warren Haynes on Butch Trucks: ‘The Lou Gehrig of Rock Drummers’
The Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes has issued a statement on the death of drummer and founding member Butch Trucks. Haynes took to Facebook to pay respects to his bandmate in a heartfelt post, which highlighted Trucks’ dedication to his craft.
Haynes said he was still in shock and that it has been an honor to perform and go through life with Trucks for more than 25 years. “He was one of a kind – as a drummer and as a human being. Butch was part of what is unfortunately now a dying breed of musicians who served with honor like soldiers.”
Haynes also noted Trucks’ deep commitment to the group’s music and to its performances. “He put 110 percent of his self into every song he played. He was the Lou Gehrig of rock drummers,” he continued, comparing Trucks’ workhorse approach of performing even when injured or sick to the baseball great. “He would play with the utmost intensity till he was about to fall over with no regrets.”
In fact, Haynes stated that Trucks had been proud to be the only band member to have not missed a show throughout Allman Brothers Band’s close-to-five-decade career.
“His mission in life was to serve the music. And serve the music he did,” Haynes concluded. “Butch considered the Allman Brothers Band music to be reverent and each performance to be of the highest level of importance and he drove that ‘freight train’ like no other could. We miss you Butchie.”
Trucks died on Tuesday evening in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 69. The cause of death is currently unknown.