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Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk, and
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whil ...
. She was also a frequent session player and collaborator with other artists, including
Warren Zevon Warren William Zevon (; January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. Zevon's most famous compositions include " Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money", and "Roland the Headless Tho ...
,
Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving ...
,
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
, The Pointer Sisters, John Prine and
Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...
. In 1989, after several years of limited commercial success, she had a major hit with her tenth studio album '' Nick of Time'', which included the song of the same name. The album reached number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, and won the
Grammy Award for Album of the Year The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regar ...
. It has since been selected by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The librar ...
for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry. Her following two albums, '' Luck of the Draw'' (1991) and '' Longing in Their Hearts'' (1994), were multimillion sellers, generating several hit singles, including " Something to Talk About", " Love Sneakin' Up On You", and the ballad "
I Can't Make You Love Me "I Can't Make You Love Me" is a song written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and recorded by American singer Bonnie Raitt for her eleventh studio album, '' Luck of the Draw'' (1991). Released as the album's second single in 1991, "I Can't Make ...
" (with Bruce Hornsby on piano). Raitt has received ten competitive Grammy Awards, as well as a
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording." ...
. She was ranked number 50 in ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
''s list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", and was placed on the magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Australian country music artist
Graeme Connors Graeme Connors (born 29 April 1956) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. Connors has released seventeen studio albums and has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music awar ...
has said "Bonnie Raitt does something with a lyric no one else can do; she bends it and twists it right into your heart." In 2000, Raitt was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
. She has also received the Icon Award from the Billboard Women in Music Awards.


Early life

Bonnie Lynn Raitt was born on November 8, 1949, in Burbank, California. Her mother, Marge Goddard (née Haydock), was a pianist, while her father, John Raitt, was an actor in
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
productions including '' Oklahoma!'' and '' The Pajama Game''. Raitt is of Scottish ancestry; her ancestors constructed
Rait Castle Rait Castle is a ruined hall-house castle dating from the thirteenth century, situated just south of Nairn near Inverness, Scotland.Coventry, Martin. (2008). ''Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans''. ...
near Nairn. As a child, Raitt would often play with her two brothers, Steve and David, and was a self-described
tomboy A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. Wh ...
. John Raitt's job as a theater actor meant Bonnie did not interact with him as much as she would have liked. Raitt grew to resent her mother, as she became the main authority figure of the household whenever John was away. Raitt's musically inclined parents had a strong influence on her life. From a young age, she and her brothers were encouraged to pursue music. Initially Raitt played the piano but was intimidated by her mother's abilities. She instead began playing a
Stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Comedy *Stella (comedy group), a comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain Characters *Stella (given name), including a list of characters with th ...
guitar, which she received as a Christmas gift in 1957 at the age of eight. Raitt did not take lessons, and instead took influence from the American folk music revival of the 1950s. She was also influenced by the beatnik movement, stating: "It represented my whole belief ... I'd grow my hair real long so I looked like a beatnik." From ages eight through fifteen, Raitt and her brothers attended a summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains called Camp Regis. It was there where Raitt learned of her musical talents, when camp counselors would ask her to play in front of the campers. Learning how to play songs from folk albums then became a hobby for Raitt. As a teenager, Raitt was self-conscious about her weight and her freckles, and saw music as an escape from reality. "That was my saving grace. I just sat in my room and played my guitar,” said Raitt. After graduating from Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1967, Raitt entered
Radcliffe College Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and functioned as the female coordinate institution for the all-male Harvard College. Considered founded in 1879, it was one of the Seven Sisters colleges and he ...
of
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
, majoring in Social Relations and African studies. She said her "plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was creating a government based on democracy and socialism". She was the lead singer in a campus music group called the "Revolutionary Music Collective" founded by songwriter Bob Telson which played for striking
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of hig ...
students during the Student strike of 1970. Raitt became friends with blues promoter Dick Waterman. During her second year of college, Raitt left school for a semester and moved to Philadelphia with Waterman and other local musicians. Raitt said it was an "opportunity that changed everything."


Career


1970–1976

In the summer of 1970, she played with her brother David on stand-up bass with
Mississippi Fred McDowell Fred McDowell (January 12, 1904 – July 3, 1972), known by his stage name Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American hill country blues singer and guitar player. Career McDowell was born in Rossville, Tennessee, United States. His parents were f ...
at the Philly Folk Festival as well as opening for John Hammond at
the Gaslight Cafe The Gaslight Cafe was a coffeehouse in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. Also known as The Village Gaslight, it opened in 1958 and became notable as a venue for folk music and other musical acts.Al AronowitzThe Gaslight, ...
in New York, she was seen by a reporter from '' Newsweek'', who began to spread the word about her performance. Scouts from major record companies were soon attending her shows to watch her play. She eventually accepted an offer from Warner Bros., who soon released her debut album, '' Bonnie Raitt'', in 1971. The album was warmly received by the music press, with many writers praising her skills as an interpreter and as a bottleneck guitarist; at the time, few women in popular music had strong reputations as guitarists. While admired by those who saw her perform, and respected by her peers, Raitt gained little public acclaim for her work. Her critical stature continued to grow but record sales remained modest. Her second album, '' Give It Up'', was released in 1972 to positive reviews. One journalist described the album as "an excellent set" and "established the artist as an inventive and sympathetic interpreter". However, it did not change her commercial fortunes. 1973's '' Takin' My Time'' was also met with critical acclaim, but these notices were not matched by the sales. Raitt began to receive greater press coverage, including a 1975 cover story for ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'', but with 1974's '' Streetlights'', reviews for her work were becoming increasingly mixed. By this point, Raitt was already experimenting with different producers and different styles, and she began to adopt a more mainstream sound that continued through 1975's '' Home Plate''. In 1976, Raitt made an appearance on
Warren Zevon Warren William Zevon (; January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. Zevon's most famous compositions include " Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money", and "Roland the Headless Tho ...
's eponymous album. She came to know Lowell George of the band
Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving ...
and was strongly influenced by his style of playing
slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...
with a pre-amp compressor. B.B. King once called Raitt the "best damn slide player working today".


1977–1988

1977's ''
Sweet Forgiveness ''Sweet Forgiveness'' is the sixth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1977. The single "Two Lives" was provided by the leader of bassist Freebo's former band Edison Electric Band songwriter Mark T. Jordan. Raitt's cover of the Del Shannon hit "R ...
'' album gave Raitt her first commercial breakthrough, when it yielded a hit single in her remake of "Runaway". Recast as a heavy rhythm and blues recording based on a rhythmic groove inspired by Al Green, Raitt's version of "Runaway" was disparaged by many critics. However, the song's commercial success prompted a bidding war for Raitt between Warner Bros. and Columbia Records. "There was this big Columbia–Warner war going on at the time", recalled Raitt in a 1990 interview. " James Taylor had just left Warner Bros. and made a big album for Columbia... And then, Warner signed
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
away from Columbia, and they didn't want me to have a hit record for Columbia – no matter what! So, I renegotiated my contract, and they basically matched Columbia's offer. Frankly the deal was a really big deal." Warner Brothers held higher expectations for Raitt's next album, '' The Glow'', in 1979, but it was released to poor reviews as well as modest sales. Raitt had one commercial success in 1979 when she helped organize the five Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) concerts at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in New York City. The shows spawned the three-record gold album ''
No Nukes Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall. The group advocates against the use of nuclear energy, forming shortly after the Thr ...
'', as well as a Warner Brothers feature film of the same name. The shows featured co-founders
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
, Graham Nash, John Hall, and Raitt as well as Bruce Springsteen,
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer S ...
, the Doobie Brothers, Carly Simon, James Taylor,
Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician ...
, and others. In 1980, she appeared as herself in the Paramount film '' Urban Cowboy'' where she sang "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance". For her next record, 1982's '' Green Light'', Raitt made a conscious attempt to revisit the sound of her earlier records. However, to her surprise, many of her peers and the media compared her new sound to the burgeoning new wave movement. The album received her strongest reviews in years, but her sales did not improve and this had a severe impact on her relationship with Warner Brothers.


''Tongue and Groove'' and release from Warner Brothers

In 1983, Raitt was finishing work on her follow-up album, ''Tongue and Groove''. The day after mastering was completed on ''Tongue & Groove'', the record company dropped Raitt from its roster, not being happy with her commercial performance up to that point. The album was shelved and not released, and Raitt was left without a record contract. At this time Raitt was also struggling with alcohol and drug abuse problems. Despite her personal and professional problems, Raitt continued to tour and participate in political activism. In 1985, she sang and appeared in the video of " Sun City", the anti-
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
song written and produced by guitarist Steven Van Zandt. Along with her participation in Farm Aid and Amnesty International concerts, Raitt traveled to
Moscow, Russia Moscow ( , American English, US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia. The city stands on t ...
in 1987 to participate in the first joint Soviet/American Peace Concert, later shown on the
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...
cable network. Also in 1987, Raitt organized a benefit in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
for Countdown '87 to Stop Contra Aid. The benefit featured herself, along with Don Henley,
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
, and others. Two years after being dropped from Warner Brothers Records, the label notified Raitt of their plans to release the ''Tongue and Groove'' album. "I said it wasn't really fair," recalled Raitt. "I think at this point they felt kind of bad. I mean, I was out there touring on my savings to keep my name up, and my ability to draw was less and less. So they agreed to let me go in and recut half of it, and that's when it came out as '' Nine Lives''." A critical and commercial disappointment, ''Nine Lives'', released in 1986, was Raitt's last new recording for Warner Brothers. In late 1987, Raitt joined singers k.d. lang and Jennifer Warnes as female background vocalists for
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
's television special, ''
Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...
''. Following this highly acclaimed broadcast, Raitt began working on new material. By then, she was clean and sober, having resolved her problems with substance abuse. She later credited
Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...
for his help in a Minnesota State Fair concert the night after Vaughan's 1990 death. During this time, Raitt considered signing with the
Prince A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...
-owned Paisley Park Records, but they could not come to an agreement and negotiations fell through. Instead, she began recording a bluesy mix of pop and rock songs under the production guidance of Don Was at Capitol Records. Raitt had met Was through Hal Wilner, who was putting together '' Stay Awake'', a tribute album to Disney music for A&M. Was and Wilner both wanted Raitt to sing lead on an adult-contemporary arrangement created by Was for " Baby Mine", the lullaby from '' Dumbo''. Raitt was very pleased with the sessions, and she asked Was to produce her next album.


1989–1999: Commercial breakthrough

After working with Was on the ''Stay Awake'' album, Raitt's management, Gold Mountain, approached numerous labels about a new record deal and found interest from Capitol Records. Raitt was signed to Capitol by A&R executive Tim Devine. With her first Capitol Records release, and after nearly twenty years in the business, Raitt achieved commercial success with '' Nick of Time'', her tenth overall album of her career. Released in the spring of 1989, ''Nick of Time'' went to number one on the U.S. album chart following Raitt's Grammy sweep in early 1990. This album has also been voted number 230 in the ''Rolling Stone'' list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Raitt later stated that her 10th try was "my first sober album." At the same time, Raitt received a fourth Grammy Award for her duet " I'm in the Mood" with
John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often ...
on his album '' The Healer''. ''Nick of Time'' was also the first of many of her recordings to feature her longtime rhythm section of Ricky Fataar and James "Hutch" Hutchinson (although previously Fataar had played on her ''Green Light'' album and Hutchinson had worked on ''Nine Lives''), both of whom continue to record and tour with her. Since its release in 1989, ''Nick of Time'' has currently sold over five million copies in the US alone. Raitt followed up this success with three more Grammy Awards for her next album, 1991's '' Luck of the Draw'', which sold seven million copies in the United States. Three years later, in 1994, she added two more Grammys with her album '' Longing in Their Hearts'', her second number one album, that sold two million copies in the US. Raitt's collaboration with Don Was amicably came to an end with 1995's live release ''
Road Tested ''Road Tested'' is a live album and first live album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1995. Track listing ;CD One #"Thing Called Love" (John Hiatt) – 4:48 #"Three Time Loser" ( Don Covay, Ronald Dean Miller) – 3:39 #"Love Letter" (Bonnie Ha ...
''. Released to solid reviews, it was certified
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
in the US. " Rock Steady" was a hit written by Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters in 1995. The song was written as a duet with Bryan Adams and Bonnie Raitt for her Road Tested tour, which also became one of her albums. The original demo version of the song appears on Adams' 1996 single "Let's Make a Night to Remember". For her next studio album, Raitt hired Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake as her producers. "I loved working with Don Was but I wanted to give myself and my fans a stretch and do something different," Raitt stated. Her work with Froom and Blake was released on '' Fundamental'' in 1998.


2000–2007

In March 2000, Raitt was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U ...
, Ohio. '' Silver Lining'' was released in 2002. In the US, it reached number 13 on the ''Billboard'' chart and was later certified Gold. It contains the singles "I Can't Help You Now", "Time of Our Lives", and the title track. All three singles charted within the top 40 of the US Adult Contemporary chart. On March 19, 2002, Bonnie Raitt received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
for her contributions to the recording industry, located at 1750 N. Vine Street. In 2003 Capitol Records released the compilation album '' The Best of Bonnie Raitt''. It contains songs from her prior Capitol albums from 1989 to 2002 including ''Nick of Time'', ''Luck of the Draw'', ''Longing in Their Hearts'', ''Road Tested'', ''Fundamental'', and ''Silver Lining''. Raitt was featured on the album ''True Love'' by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album. ''
Souls Alike ''Souls Alike'' is the fifteenth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 2005. Track listing #"I Will Not Be Broken" ( Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Tommy Sims) – 3:41 #"God Was in the Water" (Randall Bramblett, Davis Causey) – 5:17 #"Love o ...
'' was released in September 2005. In the US, it reached the top 20 on the ''Billboard'' chart. It contains the singles "I Will Not Be Broken" and "I Don't Want Anything to Change", which both charted in the top 40 of the US Adult Contemporary chart. In 2006, she released the live DVD/CD '' Bonnie Raitt and Friends'', which was filmed as part of the critically acclaimed VH1 Classic '' Decades Rock Live!'' concert series, featuring special guests Keb' Mo', Alison Krauss, Ben Harper,
Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...
, and Norah Jones. The DVD was released by Capitol Records on August 15. ''Bonnie Raitt and Friends'', which was recorded live in Atlantic City, NJ on September 30, 2005, features never-before-seen performance and interview footage, including four duets not included in the VH1 Classic broadcast of the concert. The accompanying CD features 11 tracks, including the radio single "Two Lights in the Nighttime" (featuring Ben Harper). In 2007, Raitt contributed to '' Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino''. With
Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...
, she sang a medley of " I'm in Love Again" and "All by Myself" by Fats Domino. Raitt is interviewed on screen and appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film '' Make It Funky!'', which presents a history of
New Orleans music The music of New Orleans assumes various styles of music which have often borrowed from earlier traditions. New Orleans, Louisiana, is especially known for its strong association with jazz music, universally considered to be the birthplace of th ...
and its influence on rhythm and blues,
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
, funk and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
. In the film, Raitt performs "What is Success" with Allen Toussaint and band, a song he wrote and that Raitt included on her 1974 album ''Streetlights''.


2008–present

Raitt appeared on the June 7, 2008 broadcast of Garrison Keillor's radio program '' A Prairie Home Companion''. She performed two blues songs with Keb' Mo': "No Getting Over You" and "There Ain't Nothin' in Ramblin'". Raitt also sang " Dimming of the Day" with Richard Thompson. This show, along with another one with Raitt and her band in October 2006, is archived on the ''Prairie Home Companion'' website. Raitt appeared in the 2011 documentary ''Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals'', which was featured on the BBC and described as "The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica". In February 2012, Raitt performed a duet with Alicia Keys at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012 honoring Etta James. In April 2012, Raitt released her first studio album since 2005, entitled '' Slipstream''. It charted at Number 6 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart marking her first top ten album since 1994's ''Longing in Their Hearts''. The album was described as "one of the best of her 40-year career" by '' American Songwriter'' magazine. In September 2012, Raitt was featured in a campaign called "30 Songs / 30 Days" to support '' Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide'', a multi-platform media project inspired by a project outlined in a book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. In 2013, she appeared on Foy Vance's album ''
Joy of Nothing ''Joy of Nothing'' is the second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance. It was released on 26 August 2013. Background The album was inspired by Vance's relocation to the Scottish highlands. Critical reception AllMusic wro ...
.'' On May 30, 2015,
Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...
, Bonnie Raitt and
Ivan Neville Ivan Neville (born August 19, 1959) is an American multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to members of The Neville Brothers. Career He has released four solo (music), solo albums and ha ...
gave a performance at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California to raise cash for
Marty Grebb Marty may refer to: Names * Marty (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters, also includes stage names * Marty (surname), a list of people Places in the United States * Marty, California, a former settlement * Marty, Min ...
who was battling cancer. Grebb had played on some of their albums. In February 2016, Raitt released her seventeenth studio album '' Dig In Deep''. The album charted at number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart and received favorable reviews. The album features the single "Gypsy in Me" as well as a cover of the
INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
song " Need You Tonight". Raitt cancelled the first leg of her 2018 spring-summer touring schedule due to a recently discovered medical issue requiring surgical intervention. She reported that a "full recovery" is expected and that she planned to resume touring with already-scheduled dates in June 2018. In 2022, Raitt announced the title of her 21st studio album would be '' Just Like That...''. The record was released on April 22, 2022, and coincided with the beginning of a nationwide tour to run through November 2022. Preceding the album, Raitt released "Made Up Mind" as the lead single.


Artistry

Raitt possesses a contralto vocal range. Music journalist
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
described Raitt's voice as not particularly beautiful but "textured", capable of shouting, crooning, "carry nga tune or fill nga room". Christgau likened her vocal style to "a loving woman who has the touch, soft and hard at the right times in the right places". Journalist Will Hermes described Raitt's voice as warm and precise. Describing her as a "A master interpreter of other writers’ songs", Chris Hansen Orf of ''
The Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $ ...
'' note that Raitt is equally skilled at singing blues, folk, country, rock and pop music. Kevin McKeough of the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' observed that blues has "remained the bedrock of all of Raitt's musical excursions", with her voice alternating between "sigh to a call to a sustained cry". Discussing the ability of a singer to make use of her voice, singer Linda Ronstadt stated "Of my own peers, Bonnie Raitt has way more musicianship than I do." Singer and guitarist David Crosby has said that Raitt is his favorite singer of all time.


Drug and alcohol use and recovery

Raitt used alcohol and drugs, but began
psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome prob ...
and joined Alcoholics Anonymous in the late 1980s. "I thought I had to live that partying lifestyle in order to be authentic," she said, "but in fact if you keep it up too long, all you're going to be is sloppy or dead." She became clean in 1987. She has credited
Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...
for breaking her substance abuse, saying that what gave her the courage to admit her alcohol problem and stop drinking was seeing that Stevie Ray Vaughan was an even better musician when sober. She has also said that she stopped because she realized that the "late night life" was not working for her. In 1989, she said, "I really feel like some angels have been carrying me around. I just have more focus and more discipline, and consequently more self-respect."


Personal life

Raitt has taken
sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...
s, including after the deaths of her parents, brother, and best friend. She has said "When I went through a lot of loss, I took a hiatus." Raitt and actor Michael O'Keefe were married on April 27, 1991. They announced their divorce on November 9, 1999, with a factor appearing to be that their careers caused considerable time apart.


Political activism

Raitt's political involvement goes back to the early 1970s. Her 1972 album '' Give It Up'' had a dedication "to the people of North Vietnam ..." printed on the back. Raitt's web site urges fans to learn more about preserving the environment. She was a founding member of Musicians United for Safe Energy in 1979 and a catalyst for the larger anti-nuclear movement, becoming involved with groups like the Abalone Alliance and Alliance for Survival. In 1994 at the urging of Dick Waterman, Raitt funded the replacement of a headstone for one of her mentors, blues guitarist
Fred McDowell Fred McDowell (January 12, 1904 – July 3, 1972), known by his stage name Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American hill country blues singer and guitar player. Career McDowell was born in Rossville, Tennessee, United States. His parents were ...
through the
Mt. Zion Memorial Fund The Mount Zion Memorial Fund is a non-profit corporation formed in 1989 and named after the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Morgan City, Mississippi, United States. The fund was organized by Raymond 'Skip' Henderson, a former social worke ...
. Raitt later financed memorial headstones in Mississippi for musicians Memphis Minnie, Sam Chatmon, and Tommy Johnson again with the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. In 2002, Raitt signed on as an official supporter of
Little Kids Rock Music Will, formerly known as Little Kids Rock (LKR), is a nonprofit charity based in Montclair, New Jersey, that encourages and enables children to play popular music. It provides free music instruction and instruments to public school districts ...
, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and free lessons to children in public schools throughout the U.S. She has visited children in the program and sits on the organization's board of directors as an honorary member. At the Stockholm Jazz Festival in July 2004, Raitt dedicated a performance of "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)", from her 1979 album '' The Glow'', to sitting (and later re-elected) U.S. President George W. Bush. She was quoted as saying "We're gonna sing this for George Bush because he's out of here, people!". In 2008, Raitt donated a song to the Aid Still Required's CD to assist with relief efforts in Southeast Asia from the 2004 tsunami. Raitt worked with Reverb, a non-profit environmental organization, for her 2005 fall/winter and 2006 spring/summer/fall tours. Raitt is part of the No Nukes group, which opposes the expansion of nuclear power. In 2007, No Nukes recorded a music video of a new version of the Buffalo Springfield song " For What It's Worth". During the 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Raitt, along with
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
and bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson, performed at campaign appearances for candidate John Edwards. During the 2016 Democratic primary campaign, Raitt endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.


Discography

*'' Bonnie Raitt'' (1971) *'' Give It Up'' (1972) *'' Takin' My Time'' (1973) *'' Streetlights'' (1974) *'' Home Plate'' (1975) *''
Sweet Forgiveness ''Sweet Forgiveness'' is the sixth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1977. The single "Two Lives" was provided by the leader of bassist Freebo's former band Edison Electric Band songwriter Mark T. Jordan. Raitt's cover of the Del Shannon hit "R ...
'' (1977) *'' The Glow'' (1979) *'' Green Light'' (1982) *'' Nine Lives'' (1986) *'' Nick of Time'' (1989) *'' Luck of the Draw'' (1991) *'' Longing in Their Hearts'' (1994) *'' Fundamental'' (1998) *'' Silver Lining'' (2002) *''
Souls Alike ''Souls Alike'' is the fifteenth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 2005. Track listing #"I Will Not Be Broken" ( Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Tommy Sims) – 3:41 #"God Was in the Water" (Randall Bramblett, Davis Causey) – 5:17 #"Love o ...
'' (2005) *'' Slipstream'' (2012) *'' Dig In Deep'' (2016) *'' Just Like That...'' (2022)


Guitar

Raitt's principal touring guitar is a customized Fender Stratocaster that she nicknamed Brownie. This became the basis for a signature model in 1996. Raitt was the first female musician to receive a signature Fender line.


Awards

; Grammy Awards , - , 1980 , "You're Gonna Get What's Coming" , rowspan="3", Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , 1983 , "Green Light" , , - , 1987 , "No Way to Treat a Lady" , , - , rowspan="4", 1990 , rowspan="2", '' Nick of Time'' ,
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, , - , Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , "Nick of Time" , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , "I'm in the Mood" (with
John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often ...
) , Best Traditional Blues Recording , , - , rowspan="6", 1992 , '' Luck of the Draw'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", " Something to Talk About" , Record of the Year , , - , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , "Luck of the Draw" , Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance , , - , "Good Man, Good Woman" , Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal , , - , Bonnie Raitt , MusiCares Person of the Year , , - , rowspan="5", 1995 , rowspan="2", '' Longing in Their Hearts'' , Album of the Year , , - , Best Pop Vocal Album , , - , rowspan="2", "Love Sneakin' Up On You" , Record of the Year , , - , Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , "Longing in Their Hearts" , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , 1996 , " You Got It" , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , rowspan="3", 1997 , ''
Road Tested ''Road Tested'' is a live album and first live album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1995. Track listing ;CD One #"Thing Called Love" (John Hiatt) – 4:48 #"Three Time Loser" ( Don Covay, Ronald Dean Miller) – 3:39 #"Love Letter" (Bonnie Ha ...
'' , Best Rock Album , , - , " Burning Down the House" , Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , "SRV Shuffle" ,
Best Rock Instrumental Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance was an honor presented to recording artists for quality instrumental rock performances at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Award ...
, , - , 1999 , "
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" is a popular song, with lyrics written and music adapted in 1950 by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays of The Weavers, and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers. The tune was adapted from Lead Belly's "If It Wasn't for Dicky" (1937), w ...
" (with
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
) , Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals , , - , 2003 , "Gnawin' on It" , rowspan="2", Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , 2004 , "Time of Our Lives" , , - , 2006 , "I Will Not Be Broken" , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , 2013 , '' Slipstream'' ,
Best Americana Album The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...
, , - , 2022 , Herself ,
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording." ...
, : Not a Grammy Award, but awarded by The Recording Academy ; Americana Music Honors and Awards , - , 2012 , Herself , Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance , , - , 2016 , Herself , Artist of the Year , ; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , - , 2000 , Herself , Hall of Fame induction , ; Other awards * In 1992, Raitt was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...
. * In 1997, Raitt was awarded the
Harvard Arts Medal ARTS FIRST is an annual arts festival held at Harvard University over four days each May. It includes performances or shows involving musical, theatrical, and artistic groups on campus. It was founded by alum John Lithgow in 1994 to honor the artis ...
. * In 2017, Raitt was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Guitar Museum. * In 2018, Raitt received the People's Voice Award from the Folk Alliance International Awards in recognition of her activism. * In 2022, Raitt received the Icon Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.


References


Citations


General references

* *


External links

*
Fansite: Bonnie's Pride and Joy
*
Allmusic Guide Profile AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the datab ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raitt, Bonnie 1949 births Living people American alternative country singers American women country singers American country singer-songwriters American anti–nuclear power activists American blues guitarists American blues pianists American women pianists American blues singer-songwriters American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American folk rock musicians American feminists American folk singers American humanitarians Women humanitarians Record producers from California American rock songwriters American women activists Blues rock musicians Electric blues musicians Feminist musicians Fingerstyle guitarists Grammy Award winners Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Slide guitarists Proponents of Christian feminism Radcliffe College alumni Capitol Records artists Warner Music Group artists Warner Records artists American people of Scottish descent Activists from California Country musicians from California Guitarists from California Musicians from Burbank, California Singer-songwriters from California 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers 20th-century American pianists American women record producers 20th-century American women guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American women guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Proper Records artists 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers American contraltos American activists