Born on November 8, 1949, Bonnie Lynn Raitt is a blues guitarist and singer from the United States. Raitt released her debut record under her own name in 1971. After that, she put out a string of albums with rootsy influences that were well-received, including blues, rock, folk, and country. Also, she worked frequently as a session musician and collaborator with other musicians like Leon Russell, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, The Pointer Sisters, John Prine, and Warren Zevon.
She experienced significant commercial success with her tenth studio album, Nick of Time, which featured the song of the same name, in 1989, following several years of modest economic success. The album received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Since then, the Library of Congress has decided to preserve it in the US National Recording Registry. Several popular singles were produced by her next two albums, Luck of the Draw (1991) and Longing in Their Hearts (1994), including “Something to Talk About,” “Love Sneakin’ Up On You,” and the ballad “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (with Bruce Hornsby on piano).
As of 2023, Raitt had received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in addition to 13 competitive Grammy Awards from 30 nominations. On Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” and the “100 Best Guitarists of All Time,” she came in at No. 50 and No. 89, respectively. Bonnie Raitt “does something with a phrase no one else can accomplish; she bends and twists it straight into your heart,” according to Australian country music performer Graeme Connors. Raitt was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. The Billboard Women in Music Awards presented her with the Icon Award as well.
