I'm surprised that no one has mentioned her activism. She co-founded a foundation that offered financial assistance to older blues musicians who were ripped off by record labels. Some of the artists became destitute while the record companies raked in the cash. She also went to court on their behalf. There's more stories like this. Everyone should see Bonnie as a hero.

@jenniferfoster1692

8 ай бұрын

Yes! She has made sure to give back to the blues community and support those musicians that need help in later life. She got so much from the generous blue community, learned so much and played with many of them, including the greats like BB King & John Lee Hooker, to name a few. She acknowledges how much she owes the blues community for her success.

@Fuphyter

8 ай бұрын

Most of the 5 times I've seen her live, she toured with older blues artists! She's amazing in every way.

Willie Nelson said “Their are two types of men. Those who love Bonnie Raitt and those who have never heard of her.”

Listen to her "I Can't Make You Love Me" 1992 Grammys version is awesome. First time hearing her? Bonnie was simply always part of my generation's musical life.

@Ydnic7481

8 ай бұрын

That was my response, Bonnie has just always been 😊

@christinewaide5249

8 ай бұрын

Yes! That song is amazing!!!

@kitkakitteh

8 ай бұрын

It’s both blues and beautiful.

Bonnie’s version of “Angel From Montgomery”, by John Prine, is wonderful. Highly recommend!!

@jazzzman8050

8 ай бұрын

Yes. She has owned that song ever since 👍

@maryannerafferty7727

8 ай бұрын

I like John and Bonnie's duet performing his song Angel from Montgomery. Over the years, Bonnie has always been a consistent voice for women's issues, as well as other progressive causes.

@dagfincarp1113

8 ай бұрын

Her rendition is breathtakingly gorgeous.

Bonnie is well known for her political and environmental activism. She has been very vocal against War and for Peace. She is her own person and very confident in her political and environmental feeling. A great role model for your daughters. Very cool how you picked up on her persona.

Bonnie's dad, John Raitt, was a famous Broadway musical actor who starred in "Oklahoma" and "Carousel," so she was surrounded by showbiz growing up. There's a fun KZread clip of Bonnie and John Raitt singing the old standard song "Hey There" (from his 1954 musical "The Pajama Game") with the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1992, followed by Bonnie's solo performance of her Grammy-winning hit "Nick of Time."

@jenniferg749

8 ай бұрын

Oh my gosh, I never knew that was her father. Thank you for sharing!!

Her song 'Just Like That' won song of the year in Feb. at the Grammys. Some of the best lyrics I've ever heard. Very emotional.

Bonnie is the epitome of cool, talented and humble. So lovable.

She is an IVY League educated daughter of a successful Broadway Actor John Raitt. (Radcliffe Aka Women's Harvard) Graduated in African Studies. Befriended several black blues artists who welcomed her into their inner circle and taught her the blues. Bonnie is a legend and one of the greatest slide guitar plays on the planet. She is a woman who walks the walk politically. She is not afraid to state her opinion. I have seen her many times. Even better in person always.

She has paid her dues. Traveled around the south playing venues with the top blues artists. Has been singing since 70s. Midnight special has some of her earlier performances.

Bonnie won a Grammy award in February for Song of the Year "Just Like That" and there was a social media backlash about giving such awards to "random people". WHAT! It looks like you'd like to go deeper into Bonnie's catalog, so I highly recommend Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Hornsby's live performance of "I Can't Make You Love Me". The video is floating around here on KZread, and Hornsby adds more piano magic than he did on the studio version.

Bonnie has been a blues singer for decades, and her slide guitar skill is awesome. She has small hands, so they have to make the neck of her guitars moor slender. My husband and I went to see her awhile back and just happed to meet her in the hotel hallway. My husband said “Hey we’re coming to see you tonight!” And she said “Well then I’d better be good!” 🎶❤️⭐️

Love her sassy attitude

I fell for Bonnie in 1977 when she appeared on the midnight special singing "Runaway"....immediately went out and bought the album!

@jenniferfoster1692

8 ай бұрын

I love that song so much!

@livelaughandlovelong

8 ай бұрын

I promise you, she doesn't.

I Can't Make You Love Me is one of her best . Hits you right in the heart if you've ever loved someone that didn't return that love.

Written by John Hiatt, another great singer/ songwriter!

Bonnie? I fell in love with her in 1974...an album called "Give It Up". Not having seen her yet I thought she was black....especially the sound of the title track of that album. Check it out. I became obsessed. I've seen her in concert about 8 times. I even met her once. OMG. She's everything you'd imagine...kind and humble and REAL.

Going to see her in Philly next week! Can't wait! She is incredible in concert!!!

BB King adored her. Kudos don't get much higher than that in the Blues community of performers.

Sebs, I share your opinion of Bonnie Raitt. An interesting point many may be unaware of is that her father is the famous singer from stage and movie musicals, John Raitt. He starred in Carousel, Oklahoma!, Carnival, and The Pajama Game.

her background was delta blues. PS: her father was a famous Broadway singer in i believe Carousal etc.

This was written by John Hiatt, one of the best songwriters around.

Guitarist John Hiatt wrote this.. great song and she’s a beast in music 💯

So thankful for all the people in my life that introduced me to such a wide variety of music. My Dad was such a big Bonnie fan. I can’t help but think of him when I hear her. It makes my heart so happy. Lots of good memories!!

You have to watch Bonnie’s live video of her song “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with Bruce Hornsby on the piano….it will break your heart in a good way!

I have seen her in concert 6 times and she was fantastic each and every time!!!! First saw her in the early 80's.

I believe she was named the Best Bottle Slide Guitarist in the world? I'm not sure, but she's incredible! Thank you for checking her out! I've been a fan for years. Oh, and she's a tiny little thing...barely 5 feet!

The more you learn about her the more you'll want you daughter to look up to her. She's always been an honorable person.

She's the best.

She’s is so genuine and authentic. And Sebs is so handsome!! Lol.

I started listening to her back in the early 70s - a lifelong fan.

The sheer enjoyment on your face is wonderful.

Been listening to her since the 70's. Love her!✌️

Now your talking .... 💃💃💃💃 My fav of hers is Love Letter

She appreciates the audience, and her band and has fun playing with and for them.

This song is actually written by John Hiatt who has written about a million hit songs that other people recorded. I first saw her performing Del Shannon's 'Runaway' on the Midnight Special around 1976. Bonnie had a long stretch of unsuccessful records in the late 70s/early 80s and battled drug abuse before bouncing back with the 1989 album 'Nick of TIme' which featured this song. I saw her live at the Cotillion Ballroom in Wichita, KS in 1990. It's a round 2000 seat auditorium. I was fighting a bad cold and my friend and I passed her and her manage in the hall and she said hi. In interviews, she is very soft-spoken and almost shy, but on stage, she is what you see in this video. FYI the guitar in the video is the Fender Strat she bought in a pawn shop in Boston back in the late 60s in her college days. Fender makes a cut-down version Bonnie Raitt signature model and she sometimes plays that one, too but most of her slide work is on the older, larger Strat.

"Let's Give'em Something to talk About" is one of her best songs!

@tinatreitler9192

8 ай бұрын

My 2nd fav! Nick of Time is my 1st. 3rd is the beautiful "I can't make you love me"...

@pinky2245

8 ай бұрын

Agreed! My favorite Bonnie song!

First time was 1977, heard "Runaway" off her "Sweet Forgiveness" album

Bonnie has seen and weathered some hard times. She's no featherweight.

BTW, she's the redhead in the audience when you watched the Led Zeppelin Honors with Heart.

she used to jam with Muddy waters and BB KIng back in the day.

You really need to react to her song Just LIke That. It won song of the year two years ago when she was, what... like 70?

@phyl1042

8 ай бұрын

She's 74 now, so, 72.

Bonnie is a true legend. She's a famous slide guitar player, so much so that Prince brought her to Paisley Park to work with her and to have her teach him how to play slide. We know what a great guitar player Prince was but ultimately he used Bonnie's slide guitar take on the song Cream..he figured he couldn't do it better than her. So many artists greatly respect her musicianship and vocals.

Bonnie Raitt and Dolly Parton. Two very powerful personalities.

Bonnie played at a coffeehouse where I volunteered as a waitress when she went to college in Boston. It was love at first sight. In those days, it was very unusual for women to play blues guitar so she was a trailblazer. Her first hit locally was Bluebird in 1971 - it shows how unique she was. Her first album that charted was Give It Up.

@jazzzman8050

8 ай бұрын

Thanks! I couldn’t remember the name of it, but that’s where I first heard her. “Been Too Long At The Fair”👍

@pttp5509

8 ай бұрын

Loved that!

I saw Bonnie Raitt perform at the Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans in the 80's. I remember she said, "I still feel like I did when I was 20 yrs old... at least, that's what all the men tell me!". I, obviously, have never forgotten😅 She IS so cool.

Bonnie is a legend in so many ways. Been a fan since her amazing album "Give It Up"-- if you want 45 minutes of pure joy, give it a listen. You mentioned that you would like to know more about her - well, in 2023, she won song of the Year at the Grammys for "Just Like That". Speaks volumes that this accolade comes (her second Song of the Year, by the way), yet the mainstream doesn't promote her talent, humanity and musicianship. Their loss, I guess, but I feel sorry for those who don't have the beauty and solace of Bonnie Raitt in their lives.

What is she like? She's great. I've met her, she lives in Mendocino County; nicest, most down to earth person you could hope to meet. And she is a BAD ASS slide player!

Bonnie doesn’t use a flat guitar pick, she finger picks. She has said she “couldn’t figure it out” so she uses plastic ‘tips’ on the ends of her fingers and a thumb pick that is more commonly seen used by banjo players. A style that is actually more difficult than using a flat pick but is much more versatile for different picking patterns.

For the movie she did a cover of a Rusty Wier song " Don't it make you wanna Dance".... That could lead you down a rabbit hole... Rusty was a ruff and tumble kinda guy....Check out his tunes "The Devil lives in /dallas" , " I hear You've Been Laying My Old Lady", " "Running With The Wrong Crowd" and if you like a good drinking song "Cuervo's Gold" even if you sip for every reference to an alcohol...by the end of the song ..you;re on your way...lol

I can’t even remember the first time I heard Bonnie Raitt….seems like she’s always been 😊

I grew up on Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, Gordon Lightfoot, just the best!

I first listen to Bonnie ray in probably 1972. I loved her the first time I heard her. She kind of got me interested in more Blues music it was nice to see a woman that was able to do that and also play the guitar as well as she does. I have followed her career for all these years love her

Love Bonnie! "Something To Talk About" is one of her best, check it out.

Bonnie rocks. This song was actually written by John Hiatt, a very talented singer and songwriter. He wrote a lot of great songs. Check out Have A Little Faith in Me.

@pinky2245

8 ай бұрын

Yes, I second that!

Please listen to the live version of “Love Me Like A Man” by her. You’ll love it!! Love me some Bonnie Raitt!!

I can't remember exactly how I was introduced to Bonnie Raitt but we had her first album that came out in 1971. And I just fell in love with her right away. I love her voice the fact that she plays the guitar as well as she does she's a true musician

I saw Bonnie for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as the opening act. I first heard Bonnie’s album Takin My Time on WBCN Boston. This is a blues album, Bonnie almost single handed brought to light the old black blues musicians like Sippie Wallace. Takin My Time is a great album!!

Love Me Like a Man live is classic. I bought her album Takin' My Time in 1973. Still probably my favorite of hers. Bought several more. Her comeback album was Nick of Time, for which she won a grammy. She's pickin'. Her background was the folk scene and old blues.

My college roommate was very much into Bonnie Raitt and played her all the time. I saw her live several times. I saw her at the Orpheum in Minneapolis. Freebo was in her band at the time and she said after the show she was going to "sit on his face." It was the first time I had heard the expression, I was so young then. I went to both of her benefits for the Northern Sun Alliance with her, Jackson Browne, Danny O'Keefe (You might like his Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues.) She wasn't as famous back then. I remember I saw her one time and the crowd was so small she said everyone could join her for a beer after. We did. A good time was had by all. She also did three benefits for White Earth, the reservation where I grew up, but I only attended one at the Northrup in Mpls. She did a few for the Prairie Island coalition, too. All in the cities.

Check out her dad, John Raitt. Big talent there as well.

"You" would come on the radio when i was a kid. It's beautiful.

First time I heard her; I was 11 and my library had tapes to check out. My family only listened to country so I picked the three coolest looking tapes I could find. Prince, Janet Jackson, and Bonnie Raitt. It was love at first play ❤

kay...I worked in record stores in the '80s and she was already a fixture in music. There are a couple great stories that circulated about her back then...First, she had a high, folk-singer voice and hated it. (it was the popular sound when she started) So she said that one night she got drunk, started hitting the whisky, the cigarettes, yelling and singing. This went on for a couple days, till she changed her voice. I'm not sure how much of that is true, because even now, her vocals are absolutely under her control. The other story was that she wanted to learn to play bottleneck slide, and no one bothered to tell her that they didn't really use bottle necks. She cut the neck off a beer bottle and used it. To this day, you'll notice she's really using a real bottle neck for her slide. :) She won the 2023 Grammy for Song of the Year this year, you may want to check it out. (Just Like That) She beat Adele, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift...etc. There was a huge uproar because their fans had never heard of her before. LOL!

I just watched the CMA’s and there were no songs of this caliber- this would’ve been a great country hit !

She has a newer song that won the Grammy for song of the year, Just like that. It's super close to my heart cause the song is about organ donation, I was blessed with a new liver after I found out I have a rare genetic disease that destroyed my liver.

If you want a real treat, watch Bonnie's duet with blues legend Sippie Wallace on "Woman Be Wise." Bonnie has helped reintroduce many blues artists to younger generations.

I luuuuv her!!! What you see is what you get...the real deal!! My personal fav is "Nick of Time!"❤

The first time I heard Bonnie Raitt was live at a concert in 1978-9? I didn't know who she was but it was an outdoor concert on Maui, Hawaii. I was blown away by her guitar playing and voice and Willie Nelson join her on stage for one song. I have been a big fan of Bonnie ever since that day.

I love your reactions! Try listening to “Here Come Those Tears Again” by Jackson Brown, Bonnie does the backup vocals!

I highly recommend you give "Bonnie Raitt - Runaway (Live 1977)" video on here. She's live on the Midnight Special show and is pure FIRE! Pay close attention to the harmonica solo during that appearance. The dude plays four different harmonicas without missing a note! COOL!

Feeling of Falling is about addictions it is a killer tune you should hear.

so glad you got to her again, sebs. Believe it or not,, dude, some of us would say you haven't reached the top tier of her work yet. Try Love Me Like A Man, I Can't Make You Love Me, Just Like That (last year grammy winner for her) and my fave: Let's Give Em Something To Talk About. Guitar, vocals and you didn't mention songwriting. I don't remember when I found her but I've found her many times since and always new wonders to behold and familiar ones to be enjoyed. Something to Talk About would be fun with yoru wife. Do well, Sebs. Hope the sales roll.

She won a grammy in 2022 (song of the year) for "Just Like That." You have to give it a listen, but be sure you have tissues. She is still awesome!

We first saw Bonnie in the eighties in concert on the beach in Atlantic City,fabulous show.Her opening act in the next show was Chris Isaak,another great talent you should check out

You hit just SOOOOOO COOOOOL!! 13 Grammy's and 30 nominations, She went to Radcliffe college of Harvard University. She left to go to Philly with a group of other musicians and started a very slow burn career that just gradually blew up into a tour de Force of Blues and GREAT music. I mean her 1st release was 1971, she didn't get commercial success until 1989, just kept hammering away til it all hit. Nick of Time was the album that hit #1 then and boom, Grammy sweeps, it is considered one of the top 250 albums of all time. recently, 2022; and 2023 she has won 4 MORE Grammy's. Still smokin!!!!!

she is one of my all time favorites! Awesome

Best concert ever…….Bonnie is legend.

Sebs, you really should listen to Bonnie doing "Runaway" live.

Bonnie raitt has so many amazing songs. Angel from Montgomery is another great song. Something to talk about is a jam to

The first concert with Bonnie was in 1970. She was great then, and she's still fantastic today. Great songs and an unbelievably Top-tier slide guitarist. She can play and sing the blues with the best ever.

"National treasure" is a way overused label these days. But there's no other way to describe Bonnie Raitt. She can go from smooth ballads to dirty roadhouse blues without skipping a beat. Absolute queen.

She is probably the best living slide guitarist. Her slide skills have resulted in her playing with all the great bands and stars. She began as a kick-ass blues woman and over the last 5 decades has found more financial success with more ballad-like material. My absolute favorite song of hers is "Give It Up Or Let Me Go".

@v.kerrigan9923

Ай бұрын

She's very good but Sonny Landreth is considered the best.

Miss Bonnie be gettin' nasty with that slide geetar here! This song embodies all the universal emotions Bonnie sings about - lust, unrequited love, longing, rage. She makes music for intelligent grownups, and this is a song for intelligent grownups. Go Bonnie! I'd also recommend "Love Sneakin' Up On You." That sliiide geetar is fantastic.

Her father was the famous light opera star John Raitt (Carousel, Oklahoma, etc.)

First heard of her with this song in the Movie of the same title. Fell in love and bought her album

I danced many a two step to this song at Denim & Diamonds in Santa Monica back in the 90's.

I agree with other commenters Bonnie's version of John Prine's Angel From Mongomery is a great one to listen to.

Thanks very much for this it’s needed especially in these times we are being put through. Have fun she’s so down to earth.

Beside being such an incredible musician, her natural and real smile is contagious. She is wonderful!♥️

My favorites are I Can't Make You Love Me and Angel From Montgomery. She is a great musician.

Love Me Like a Man is a very bluesy song she just kills vocally and on guitar.

My fav 2 songs by her are Bartender's Blues and Guilty. Check 'em out. Peace

Love love love her ‘Home!’ It’s beautiful. Angel From Montgomery is still my favorite tho! ♥️

Kids need to be introduced to music etc..early to know they have choices in what they would like to learn.. I’m sure they would love this music…

She is a genuinely nice person. A friend helped her in a boutique in LA, and mentioned that he was meaning to go buy her new CD. She left, only to return a little later to gift him a new CD.

" I can't make you love me. " By Bonnie, will make you cry. It's so beautiful and it will move you . George Michael made a great hit with this song also.

@tinatreitler9192

8 ай бұрын

He's another gem!! Luuuuv his version...some try but he was real!❤

@tombeiter6258

8 ай бұрын

Saw Hiatt a few times, once he introduced this, thanking the redhead for keeping tires on the Cadillac

A must by Bonnie is Runaway. ❤

Great choice!🎶💕

Ask me who I rate as the most talented female musical artist and there's no doubt - Bonnie is IT. This is absolutely a great performance to show off what she can do. But please go back to some of her early stuff - 70's really showed off her bluesy side. Guilty, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Walkin' Blues, Going Wild for You Baby, Everybody's Crying Mercy. Not necessarily well known to the radio audience, but I guarantee long time Bonnie fans know what I'm talking about.

@maurabkf

8 ай бұрын

Those songs are from Takin My Time, 1972.great album!!

@janflewelling6277

8 ай бұрын

@@maurabkf Yes, probably my favorite of her albums. But a couple of those songs are from either her first album or from The Glow, another fave.