Bonnie Raitt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bonnie Raitt
Raitt in 2000
Background information
Birth name	Bonnie Lynn Raitt
Born	(1949-11-08) November 8, 1949 (age 75) Burbank, California, U.S.
Genres	Blues folk country rock
Occupation(s)	Singer musician songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Warner Bros. Capitol Redwing Proper
Signature

Bonnie Lynn Raitt (born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She is famous for mixing different music styles like blues, rock, folk, and country in her songs. She also often worked with other musicians.

In 1989, Bonnie Raitt became very famous with her album Nick of Time. This album went to number one and won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Her next albums, Luck of the Draw (1991) and Longing in Their Hearts (1994), sold millions of copies. They included hit songs like "Something to Talk About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me". In 2022, her song "Just Like That" won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

As of 2023, Bonnie Raitt has won 13 Grammy Awards. She also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Rolling Stone magazine listed her as one of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" and "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." In 2000, she was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Early Life of Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Lynn Raitt was born on November 8, 1949, in Burbank, California. Her mother, Marge Goddard, was a pianist. Her father, John Raitt, was an actor in musical shows like Oklahoma!. Bonnie has Scottish family roots; her ancestors built Rait Castle in Scotland. As a child, Bonnie played with her two brothers, Steve and David. She described herself as a tomboy.

Bonnie's parents loved music, and they encouraged her and her brothers to play instruments. Bonnie first played the piano, but she felt shy because her mother was so good. Instead, she started playing a Stella guitar. She received it as a Christmas gift in 1957 when she was eight years old. Bonnie did not take guitar lessons. She learned by listening to the American folk music revival of the 1950s.

From ages eight to fifteen, Bonnie and her brothers went to a summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains. There, Bonnie discovered her musical talent. Camp counselors often asked her to play for other campers. Learning songs from folk albums became a fun hobby for Bonnie. As a teenager, she felt a bit shy about her looks. Music became a way for her to escape. She said, "That was my saving grace. I just sat in my room and played my guitar."

After finishing school in 1967, Bonnie went to Radcliffe College at Harvard University. She studied Social Relations and African studies. Her plan was to travel to Tanzania. She was the lead singer in a campus music group called the "Revolutionary Music Collective." They played for striking Harvard students in 1970. Bonnie became friends with blues promoter Dick Waterman. During her second year of college, she left school for a semester. She moved to Philadelphia with Waterman and other musicians. Bonnie said this was "an opportunity that changed everything."

Bonnie Raitt's Music Career

Early Years: 1970–1976

In the summer of 1970, Bonnie Raitt played with her brother David. She performed with Mississippi Fred McDowell at the Philly Folk Festival. She also opened for John Hammond in New York. A reporter from Newsweek saw her and shared how great she was. Soon, major record companies wanted to sign her. She chose Warner Bros., and they released her first album, Bonnie Raitt, in 1971. Music critics loved the album. Many praised her singing and her skills as a bottleneck guitarist. At that time, not many women in popular music were known as strong guitarists.

Even though people who saw her perform admired her, Bonnie Raitt did not become widely famous right away. Her reputation grew, but her album sales stayed low. Her second album, Give It Up, came out in 1972. It also received good reviews. One journalist called it "an excellent set." However, it did not make her more commercially successful. Her 1973 album, Takin' My Time, also got great reviews, but sales were still modest.

Bonnie Raitt started getting more attention in the press. She even had a cover story in Rolling Stone in 1975. But with her 1974 album, Streetlights, reviews became mixed. By this time, Bonnie was trying different producers and styles. She began to use a more mainstream sound. This continued with her 1975 album, Home Plate. In 1976, she appeared on Warren Zevon's album. She also met Lowell George from the band Little Feat. His style of playing slide guitar greatly influenced her.

Growing Fame: 1977–1988

Bonnie Raitt's 1977 album Sweet Forgiveness brought her first big commercial success. It had a hit song, her remake of "Runaway." This version was a strong rhythm and blues song. Its success led to a competition between Warner Bros. and Columbia Records to sign Raitt. Warner Brothers wanted her to stay. They offered her a much better contract.

Warner Brothers had high hopes for her next album, The Glow, in 1979. But it received poor reviews and had low sales. Bonnie had one commercial success in 1979. She helped organize five Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) concerts in New York City. These shows led to a gold album called No Nukes and a movie. The concerts featured co-founders Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, John Hall, and Raitt. Other stars like Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor also performed.

In 1980, she appeared as herself in the film Urban Cowboy. She sang "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance" in the movie. For her 1982 album, Green Light, Bonnie tried to go back to her earlier sound. Many people compared her new sound to the new wave style. The album received her best reviews in years. However, her sales did not get better. This caused problems with Warner Brothers.

In 1983, Bonnie Raitt was finishing her album Tongue and Groove. The day after it was ready, the record company dropped her. They were not happy with her sales. The album was put aside, and Bonnie was left without a record deal.

Despite these problems, Bonnie continued to tour and work for causes she believed in. In 1985, she sang in the video for "Sun City." This was a song against apartheid in South Africa. She also took part in Farm Aid and Amnesty International concerts. In 1987, she traveled to Moscow for the first joint Soviet/American Peace Concert. This concert was shown on TV. Also in 1987, Bonnie organized a benefit concert in Los Angeles. It was to stop aid to the Contras.

Two years after Warner Brothers dropped her, they decided to release the Tongue and Groove album. Bonnie felt it wasn't fair. She was touring using her own money to stay known. So, they let her re-record half of it. It was then released as Nine Lives in 1986. This album was not successful with critics or sales. It was her last new recording for Warner Brothers.

In late 1987, Bonnie Raitt sang background vocals for Roy Orbison's TV special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. After this show, Bonnie started working on new music. She later thanked Stevie Ray Vaughan for his help. She considered signing with Prince's record label, but they couldn't agree. Instead, she began recording bluesy pop and rock songs with producer Don Was at Capitol Records.

Big Success: 1989–1999

Raitt at the 1990 Grammy Awards

After working with Don Was, Bonnie Raitt signed with Capitol Records. With her first Capitol album, Nick of Time, she finally found huge success. This was her tenth album, released in 1989. Nick of Time went to number one on the U.S. album chart. This happened after she won many Grammy Awards in early 1990. This album is also listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone. Bonnie later said it was her "first sober album."

At the same time, Bonnie Raitt won another Grammy Award. This was for her duet "I'm in the Mood" with John Lee Hooker. Nick of Time has sold over five million copies in the U.S. since its release.

Bonnie continued her success with three more Grammy Awards for her next album, Luck of the Draw (1991). This album sold seven million copies in the United States. Three years later, in 1994, she won two more Grammys with her album Longing in Their Hearts. This was her second number one album and sold two million copies. Bonnie's work with Don Was ended after her 1995 live album Road Tested. This album received good reviews and sold well.

"Rock Steady" was a hit song written by Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters in 1995. It was written as a duet for Bryan Adams and Bonnie Raitt. It was part of her Road Tested tour and album. For her next studio album, Bonnie hired Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake as producers. She said, "I loved working with Don Was but I wanted to give myself and my fans a stretch and do something different." Her album with Froom and Blake, Fundamental, was released in 1998.

Later Career: 2000–Present

Raitt performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, April 23, 2004

In March 2000, Bonnie Raitt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Her album Silver Lining was released in 2002. It reached number 13 on the Billboard chart in the U.S. It later sold enough copies to be certified Gold. It included the songs "I Can't Help You Now" and "Time of Our Lives."

On March 19, 2002, Bonnie Raitt received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was for her contributions to the music industry. In 2003, Capitol Records released The Best of Bonnie Raitt. This album included songs from her Capitol albums from 1989 to 2002. Bonnie was also featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2004.

Souls Alike was released in September 2005. It reached the top 20 on the Billboard chart in the U.S. It included the songs "I Will Not Be Broken" and "I Don't Want Anything to Change." In 2006, she released the live DVD/CD Bonnie Raitt and Friends. This was filmed as part of a concert series. It featured special guests like Keb' Mo', Alison Krauss, and Norah Jones.

In 2007, Bonnie Raitt contributed to Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino. She sang a medley of "I'm in Love Again" and "All by Myself" with Jon Cleary. Raitt also appeared in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!. This film showed the history of New Orleans music. In the film, Raitt performed "What is Success" with Allen Toussaint.

In February 2012, Bonnie Raitt performed a duet with Alicia Keys at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. This performance honored Etta James. In April 2012, Raitt released her first studio album since 2005, called Slipstream. It reached Number 6 on the US Billboard 200 chart. This was her first top ten album since 1994. American Songwriter magazine called the album "one of the best of her 40-year career."

In February 2016, Bonnie Raitt released her seventeenth studio album Dig In Deep. The album reached number 11 on the US Billboard 200 chart and received good reviews. It included the song "Gypsy in Me" and a cover of the INXS song "Need You Tonight".

In 2022, Raitt announced her 21st studio album, Just Like That.... It was released on April 22, 2022. The album release happened at the start of a nationwide tour. The title track of the album won Song of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2023. The song also won in the Best American Roots Song category.

Bonnie Raitt's Musical Style

Bonnie Raitt has a deep, rich singing voice. Music journalist Robert Christgau described her voice as "textured." He said she could shout, croon, and "carry a tune or fill a room." He compared her voice to "a loving woman who has the touch, soft and hard at the right times." Journalist Will Hermes called her voice warm and precise.

Chris Hansen Orf noted that Raitt is a "master interpreter of other writers’ songs." He said she is equally skilled at singing blues, folk, country, rock, and pop music. Kevin McKeough observed that blues has "remained the bedrock of all of Raitt's musical excursions." Her voice can change from a "sigh to a call to a sustained cry." Singer Linda Ronstadt said, "Of my own peers, Bonnie Raitt has way more musicianship than I do." Singer and guitarist David Crosby has called Raitt his favorite singer of all time.

Personal Life

Bonnie Raitt has taken breaks from her career. These breaks included times after the deaths of her parents, brother, and best friend. She said, "When I went through a lot of loss, I took a hiatus." Bonnie Raitt and actor Michael O'Keefe were married on April 27, 1991. They announced their divorce on November 9, 1999. One reason was that their careers kept them apart for long periods.

Bonnie Raitt's Activism

Raitt with musician Jackson Browne at a 1997 press conference opposing the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository

Bonnie Raitt has been involved in political causes since the early 1970s. Her 1972 album Give It Up had a dedication to the people of North Vietnam. Bonnie's website encourages fans to learn about protecting the environment. She helped start Musicians United for Safe Energy in 1979. This group was part of a larger movement against nuclear power. She worked with groups like the Abalone Alliance.

In 1994, Bonnie Raitt helped pay for a new headstone for blues guitarist Fred McDowell. He was one of her mentors. She did this through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. Raitt later paid for memorial headstones in Mississippi for other musicians. These included Memphis Minnie, Sam Chatmon, and Tommy Johnson.

In 2002, Bonnie Raitt became a supporter of Little Kids Rock. This is a group that gives free musical instruments and lessons to children in public schools. She has visited children in the program. She is also an honorary member of the organization's board of directors.

At the Stockholm Jazz Festival in July 2004, Bonnie Raitt dedicated a song to U.S. President George W. Bush. She said, "We're gonna sing this for George Bush because he's out of here, people!"

In 2008, Bonnie Raitt gave a song to the Aid Still Required CD. This CD helped with relief efforts after the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. Raitt worked with Reverb, an environmental group, for her tours. Bonnie Raitt is part of the No Nukes group. This group is against building more nuclear power plants. In 2007, No Nukes made a music video for a new version of the song "For What It's Worth." During the 2008 election, Raitt performed at events for candidate John Edwards.

During the 2016 election, Bonnie Raitt supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Bonnie Raitt's Albums

Bonnie Raitt's Guitar

Bonnie Raitt's main touring guitar is a special Fender Stratocaster. She calls it Brownie. This guitar became the basis for a special signature model in 1996. Bonnie Raitt was the first female musician to have her own signature Fender guitar line.

Awards and Honors

• In 1992, Bonnie Raitt received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.
• In 1997, she was given the Harvard Arts Medal.
• In 2017, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Guitar Museum.
• In 2018, she won the People's Voice Award from the Folk Alliance International Awards for her activism.
• In 2022, she received the Icon Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.
• In 2024, she will receive the Kennedy Center Honor.

Images for kids

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  Raitt performing at the Berkeley Community Theater, 1976–1977

See also

In Spanish: Bonnie Raitt para niños