Happy Birthday Bonnie Raitt! (11-8-1949)

byFrankB-1

6.6K followers

Updated 1 year ago

Hi WA Friends!

Let's Celebrate the birthday of Bonnie Raitt!

Bonnie is an American singer, songwriter, and slide guitarist known for her soulful vocals, bluesy guitar playing, and eclectic mix of musical styles. With a career spanning over five decades, she has established herself as a true icon of American roots music.

Her signature sound is characterized by her use of slide guitar, which she plays with both a bottleneck and a finger slide.

A Little History

Born in Burbank, California, on November 8, 1949, Bonnie was surrounded by music from a young age. Her father, John Raitt, was a Broadway star, and her mother, Marge Goddard, was a pianist and singer. Bonnie began playing guitar at the age of 15 and was soon drawn to the blues, particularly the sounds of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

Career Highlights

In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album, which showcased her raw talent and distinctive slide guitar style. While her early albums were met with critical praise, commercial success eluded her.

However, in the 1980s, Bonnie's music began to resonate with a wider audience, and she achieved mainstream recognition with albums like "Nick of Time" (1989) and "Luck of the Draw" (1991).

Her music has been praised for its emotional depth, blend of styles, and her expressive guitar playing.

Performance Career

Bonnie Raitt is known for her captivating live performances, which showcase her powerful vocals, skillful guitar playing, and engaging stage presence. She has toured extensively throughout her career, performing at major music festivals and venues worldwide.

Equipment

This section is mainly for WA gearheads, but it won't hurt to take a quick look!

Guitars:

Bonnie is known for her use of a variety of guitars, including:

• Fender Stratocaster: Raitt's signature guitar is a customized Fender Stratocaster, and she has used it on stage and in the studio for over 50 years.
• Fender Telecaster: Raitt also uses a Fender Telecaster, which she favors for its bright, clear sound.
• Gibson Les Paul: Raitt has also used a Gibson Les Paul, which she favors for its warm, rich sound.
• Guild F-50: Raitt is also known for her use of acoustic guitars, and she most often plays a Guild F-50.
• Lichty Custom: Raitt also owns a custom-made Lichty guitar, which she favors for its unique tone.

Amplifiers:

Bonnie prefers Bad Cat, Fender, and Dumble amps, but here is a more complete list.

• Bad Cat Black Cat 30R 1x12 combo (current amp of choice)
• Fender Twin Reverb
• Dumble Overdrive Special (ODS)
• Peavey Classic Series 50
• Vox AC30
• Marshall Plexi
• Mesa Boogie Rectifier

If I had to chose just one, I'd definitely take the Dumble ODS! Lol 😃

Effects Pedals:

Here are the pedals that Bonnie typically uses:

• Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer
• MXR Dyna Comp
• Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
• Boss CE-2 Chorus

Honors and Awards

his is a partial list of awards that Bonnie has achieved throughout her career:

• Grammy Awards: 10
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
• Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
• Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award
• National Public Radio Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
• Living Legend Award from the Library of Congress

Discography

If you've never heard Bonnie, you owe it to yourself to listen to at least one of the albums below! For Bonnie newbies, I'd recommend starting with Luck of the Draw (1991).

• Bonnie Raitt (1971)
• Give It Up (1972)
• Takin' My Time (1973)
• Homegrown (1975)
• The Glow (1976)
• Sweet Forgiveness (1977)
• What You Want (1979)
• Green Light (1982)
• Nick of Time (1989)
• Luck of the Draw (1991)
• Longing for You (1994)
• Fundamental (1998)
• Silver Lining (2002)
• Souls Alike (2005)
• Slipstream (2012)
• Dig in Deep (2016)
• Sooner or Later (2017)
• Just Like That... (2022)

Bonnie was also featured on the 2023 compilation album "A Tribute to Joni Mitchell," performing the song "The Circle Game".

Tell Me What You Think!

Let me know in the comments about your musical experiences with Bonnie. If you've never seen her live, you're missing something truly spectacular!

There are a variety of YouTube videos you can check out. Her slide-playing technique is second to none!

Happy Birthday, Bonnie! 🎂 😎

Stay well, AND ...

Keep On Rockin'! 🤘

Frank 🎸

~ 60% Human-written content.