Who Is Bonnie Raitt, The Iconic Musician Who Rattled The 2023 Grammy Awards
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Who is Bonnie Raitt? The legendary artist has garnered a lot of attention following her win for Song of the Year at Sunday night’s (February 5, 2023) Grammy Awards.
The mutli-talented musician was up again artists decades younger than her, including Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Beyonce, Adele and Lizzo. But her more than five decades of musical experience was no match for the new generation of talent.
Nobody was more surprised than 73-year-old Raitt when her name was called for her song, “Just Like That.” But, the internet took notice and many viewers were left with one question….
Everything you need to know about Bonnie Raitt.
Below are some facts to help you get to know Bonnie Raitt. You may be surprised to find that you are more acquainted with her music than you realized!
1. Bonnie Raitt was born on November 8, 1949, in Burbank, California, and is the daughter of Broadway musical star John Raitt.
2. Raitt started playing the guitar at age eight and began performing in local clubs when she was a teenager. She studied at Radcliffe College, where she became interested in blues and folk music.
3. Raitt released her self-titled debut album in 1971 and gained widespread recognition with the release of her tenth studio album, “Nick of Time,” in 1989. The album reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart and earned her a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
4. The two albums that followed, Luck of the Draw (1991) and Longing in Their Hearts (1994) earned multi-platinum certification. Her hit songs “Something to Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” from those albums became some of her most recognizable songs.
5. Bonnie Raitt is a multi-Grammy award winner, having won 13 Grammy Awards over the course of her career, as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
6. Raitt is known for her soulful and powerful voice, as well as her mastery of the slide guitar.
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7. Raitt is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has been honored with several lifetime achievement awards. She was ranked number 50 in Rolling Stone‘s list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” and was named one of the magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.
8. Despite her long career and numerous accolades, Raitt remains active and continues to tour and perform regularly.
If there is any question that Bonnie Raitt has had a profound impact on the music industry, and female artists who have come after her, it’s worth remembering that Carrie Underwood earned her spot on American Idol with a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Hear Carrie sing it below.
