Bonnie Raitt
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Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed
roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
-influenced albums that incorporated elements of blues,
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fo ...
, 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, while the ...
. 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 Th ...
, Little Feat,
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 The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, b ...
,
John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
and Leon Russell. 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. 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 library is ...
for preservation in the United States
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...
. Her following two albums, '' Luck of the Draw'' (1991) and ''
Longing in Their Hearts ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, "Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the Billboard singles chart, and "You", which remains to date her only ...
'' (1994), were multimillion sellers, generating several hit singles, including " Something to Talk About", "
Love Sneakin' Up On You "Love Sneakin' Up On You" is a song by American blues singer Bonnie Raitt. Released in March 1994 from her 12th album, ''Longing in Their Hearts'' (1994), the song topped Canada's ''RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/mi ...
", and the ballad " I Can't Make You Love Me" (with
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions ...
on piano). Raitt has received ten competitive
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s, as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 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, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''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 award ...
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 Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
. Her mother, Marge Goddard (née Haydock), was a pianist, while her father,
John Raitt John Emmet Raitt (; January 29, 1917 – February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre. Early years Raitt was born in Santa Ana, California, United States. He got his start in theatre as ...
, 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! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tell ...
'' and ''
The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. and dances were staged by Bob Fosse in his ...
''. Raitt is of Scottish ancestry; her ancestors constructed Rait Castle near
Nairn Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradi ...
. 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. W ...
. 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 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 A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academ ...
in the
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...
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
freckle Freckles are clusters of concentrated melaninized cells which are most easily visible on people with a fair complexion. Freckles do not have an increased number of the melanin-producing cells, or melanocytes, but instead have melanocytes that ...
s, 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 Oakwood Friends School is a college preparatory school located at 22 Spackenkill Road in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. With roots going back to Nine Partners Boarding School, founded in 1796, it is the oldest co-educational boarding and d ...
in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1967, Raitt entered Radcliffe College 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 higher le ...
, majoring in
Social Relations A social relation or also described as a social interaction or social experience is the fundamental unit of analysis within the social sciences, and describes any voluntary or involuntary interpersonal relationship between two or more individuals ...
and
African studies African studies is the study of Africa, especially the continent's cultures and societies (as opposed to its geology, geography, zoology, etc.). The field includes the study of Africa's history (pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial), demography ...
. She said her "plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President
Julius Nyerere Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, af ...
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 higher le ...
students during the
Student strike of 1970 The student strike of 1970 was a massive protest across the United States, that included walk-outs from college and high school classrooms initially in response to the United States expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Nearly 900 campuses ...
. Raitt became friends with blues promoter
Dick Waterman Dick Waterman (born July 14, 1935) is an American writer, promoter and photographer who has been influential in the development and recording of the blues since the 1960s. Life and career Waterman was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, United Stat ...
. 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 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 ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'', 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. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
, 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 ''Takin' My Time'' is the third studio album by American musician Bonnie Raitt. It was released in 1973 by Warner Bros. Records. The album is an amalgamation of several different genres, including blues, folk, jazz, New Orleans rhythm and blue ...
'' 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, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', but with 1974's ''
Streetlights A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...
'', 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 A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...
''. 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 Th ...
's eponymous album. She came to know
Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...
of the band Little Feat 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 Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
once called Raitt the "best damn slide player working today".


1977–1988

1977's '' Sweet Forgiveness'' 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 Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
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. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
and
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
. "There was this big Columbia–Warner war going on at the time", recalled Raitt in a 1990 interview. "
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
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 Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group 1979 in music, founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall (New York), John Hall. The group advocates anti-nuclear, against the use ...
(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'', 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 Graham William Nash (born 2 February 1942) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, photographer, and activist. He is known for his light tenor voice and for his contributions as a member of the Hollies and the supergroups Crosby, Stills ...
,
John Hall John Hall may refer to: Academics * John Hall (NYU President) (fl. c. 1890), American academic * John A. Hall (born 1949), sociology professor at McGill University, Montreal * John F. Hall (born 1951), professor of classics at Brigham Young Unive ...
, and Raitt as well as
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,
the Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...
, Carly Simon,
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
, Gil Scott-Heron, and others. In 1980, she appeared as herself in the
Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
film ''
Urban Cowboy ''Urban Cowboy'' is a 1980 American romantic Western film directed by James Bridges. The plot concerns the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan "Bud" Davis (John Travolta) and Sissy (Debra Winger). The film's success was credited for spur ...
'' 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 Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandoli ...
. Along with her participation in
Farm Aid Farm Aid is an annual benefit concert held for American farmers. History On July 13, 1985, while performing at the Live Aid benefit concert for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine, Bob Dylan made comments about family farmers within the United St ...
and
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
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 w ...
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 world' ...
for Countdown '87 to Stop
Contra Contra may refer to: Places * Contra, Virginia * Contra Costa Canal, an aqueduct in the U.S. state of California * Contra Costa County, California * Tenero-Contra, a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland ...
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 Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical performances. Hits include the s ...
and
Jennifer Warnes Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter. She has performed as a vocalist on a number of film soundtracks. She has won two Grammy Awards, in 1983 for the Joe Cocker duet "Up Where We Belong" and in 1987 for ...
as female background vocalists for Roy Orbison's television special, '' Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night''. 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 for his help in a
Minnesota State Fair The Minnesota State Fair is the state fair of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Also known by its slogan, "The Great Minnesota Get-Together", it is the largest state fair in the United States by average daily attendance and the second-largest state f ...
concert the night after Vaughan's 1990 death. During this time, Raitt considered signing with the
Prince A prince is a 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, in some European states. Th ...
-owned
Paisley Park Records Paisley Park Records was an American record label founded by musician Prince in 1985, which was distributed by and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album '' Purple Rain''. ...
, 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 Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was, is an American musician, record producer and record executive. Primarily a bass player, Was co-founded the funk-rock band Was (Not Was). In later years he produced so ...
at
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
. Raitt had met Was through
Hal Wilner Hal Willner (April 6, 1956 – April 7, 2020) was an American music producer working in recording, films, television, and live events. He was best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical sty ...
, who was putting together '' Stay Awake'', a tribute album to
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
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 ''Dumbo'' is a 1941 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The fourth Disney animated feature film, it is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, ...
''. 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 Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
. Raitt was signed to Capitol by A&R executive
Tim Devine Tim Devine is an American music executive and entrepreneur. The founder of Webcastr, Devine is best known for his work as an a&r executive. Early life and education Devine spent his childhood in Chicago, Kansas City, New York and New Jersey a ...
. 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 The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for her duet " I'm in the Mood" with John Lee Hooker 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 Ricky Fataar (born 5 September 1952) is a South African-English multi-instrumentalist of Cape Malay descent, who has performed as both a drummer and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in ''The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash'', a spoof on ...
and
James "Hutch" Hutchinson James Hutchinson (born January 24, 1953) is an American session bassist best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt. Though his work takes him nearly everywhere he primarily resides in Studio City, Los Angeles, CA and Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii. Ca ...
(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 ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, "Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the Billboard singles chart, and "You", which remains to date her only ...
'', 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''. 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 met ...
in the US. "
Rock Steady Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor of ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was the dominant style of music in Jamaica for nearly two years, performed by many of the artists who helped establish ...
" 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 Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was, is an American musician, record producer and record executive. Primarily a bass player, Was co-founded the funk-rock band Was (Not Was). In later years he produced so ...
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 (Bonnie Raitt album), 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, Ohio. ''Silver Lining (album), Silver Lining'' was released in 2002. In the US, it reached number 13 on the Billboard charts, ''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 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 (Toots & the Maytals album), ''True Love'' by Toots and the Maytals, which won the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
in 2004 for Best Reggae Album. ''Souls Alike'' 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 ''Decades Rock Live: Bonnie Raitt and Friends, 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 (musician), Jon Cleary, and Norah Jones. The DVD was released by Capitol Records on August 15. ''Bonnie Raitt and Friends'', which was recorded live in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 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 (musician), Jon Cleary, she sang a medley of "I'm in Love Again (song), 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 (film), Make It Funky!'', which presents a history of Music of New Orleans, New Orleans music and its influence on
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
, Rock music, rock and roll, funk and jazz. 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 (musician), 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 (Bonnie Raitt album), 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, 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.'' On May 30, 2015, Leon Russell, Bonnie Raitt and Ivan Neville gave a performance at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California to raise cash for Marty Grebb 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 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 described Raitt's voice as not particularly beautiful but "textured", capable of shouting, crooning, "carry[ing] a tune or fill[ing] a 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'' note that Raitt is equally skilled at singing blues, folk, country, rock and pop music. Kevin McKeough of the ''Chicago Tribune'' 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 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 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 sabbaticals, 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 Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group 1979 in music, founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall (New York), John Hall. The group advocates anti-nuclear, against the use ...
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 Dick Waterman (born July 14, 1935) is an American writer, promoter and photographer who has been influential in the development and recording of the blues since the 1960s. Life and career Waterman was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, United Stat ...
, Raitt funded the replacement of a headstone for one of her mentors, blues guitarist Fred McDowell through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. Raitt later financed memorial headstones in Mississippi for musicians Memphis Minnie, Sam Chatmon, and Tommy Johnson (blues musician), Tommy Johnson again with the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. In 2002, Raitt signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, 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 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2004 tsunami. Raitt worked with Reverb (non-profit), 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 (Buffalo Springfield song), For What It's Worth". During the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 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 James Hutchinson (born January 24, 1953) is an American session bassist best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt. Though his work takes him nearly everywhere he primarily resides in Studio City, Los Angeles, CA and Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii. Ca ...
, performed at campaign appearances for candidate John Edwards. During the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016 Democratic primary campaign, Raitt endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.


Discography

*'' Bonnie Raitt'' (1971) *'' Give It Up'' (1972) *''
Takin' My Time ''Takin' My Time'' is the third studio album by American musician Bonnie Raitt. It was released in 1973 by Warner Bros. Records. The album is an amalgamation of several different genres, including blues, folk, jazz, New Orleans rhythm and blue ...
'' (1973) *''
Streetlights A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...
'' (1974) *''
Home Plate A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...
'' (1975) *'' Sweet Forgiveness'' (1977) *'' The Glow'' (1979) *'' Green Light'' (1982) *'' Nine Lives'' (1986) *'' Nick of Time'' (1989) *'' Luck of the Draw'' (1991) *''
Longing in Their Hearts ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, "Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the Billboard singles chart, and "You", which remains to date her only ...
'' (1994) *''Fundamental (Bonnie Raitt album), Fundamental'' (1998) *''Silver Lining (album), Silver Lining'' (2002) *''Souls Alike'' (2005) *''Slipstream (Bonnie Raitt album), 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", Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , 1983 , "Green Light" , , - , 1987 , "No Way to Treat a Lady" , , - , rowspan="4", 1990 , rowspan="2", '' Nick of Time'' , Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Album of the Year , , - , Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , "Nick of Time" , Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , "I'm in the Mood" (with John Lee Hooker) , Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording, Best Traditional Blues Recording , , - , rowspan="6", 1992 , '' Luck of the Draw'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", " Something to Talk About" , Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year , , - , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , "Luck of the Draw" , Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance , , - , "Good Man, Good Woman" , Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, 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 ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, "Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the Billboard singles chart, and "You", which remains to date her only ...
'' , Album of the Year , , - , Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, 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#Bonnie Raitt cover, You Got It" , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , - , rowspan="3", 1997 , '' Road Tested'' , Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, Best Rock Album , , - , "Burning Down the House" , Best Female Rock Vocal Performance , , - , "SRV Shuffle" , Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, Best Rock Instrumental Performance , , - , 1999 , "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (song), Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (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 ...
) , Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, 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 (Bonnie Raitt album), Slipstream'' , Grammy Award for Best Americana Album, Best Americana Album , , - , 2022 , Herself , Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , : Not a Grammy Award, but awarded by The Recording Academy ; Americana Music Honors and Awards , - , 2012 , Herself , Americana Music Honors & Awards#Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance, Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance , , - , 2016 , Herself , Americana Music Honors & Awards#Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year , ; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , - , 2000 , Herself , List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Hall of Fame induction , ; Other awards * In 1992, Raitt was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. * In 1997, Raitt was awarded the Harvard Arts Medal. * 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, 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] {{DEFAULTSORT:Raitt, Bonnie Bonnie Raitt, 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