Although Bonnie Raitt has been a highly regarded artist on stage since 1971 and releases albums and singles well received by critics, it was not until 1989 with Nick of Time that she tasted real success. Her start was promising. She debuted in the Boston folk scene and soon played with blues legends such as Howlin' Wolf and Sippie Wallace. This earned her a contract with Warner Bros.
Spiral
In the nearly twenty years that followed, she released 9 albums, including Give It Up (1972), Taking My Time (1973) and Streetlights (1974). In 1977 she had a modest radio hit with the Del Shannon cover 'Runaway'. Raitt then positioned herself as an environmental activist and played at many benefit concerts, including protesting against nuclear power. After the album Green Lights (1982), she was unexpectedly dropped by Warner Bros. Raitt increasingly lost herself in alcohol and drugs and her career went into a downward spiral. A promising collaboration with Prince yielded nothing. The material was not released.
Comeback
The collaboration with producer Don Was marked the turnaround. The album Nick of Time became an unexpected success in 1989 and earned her not only high sales but also the highest possible awards: four Grammys, including Album of the Year. The follow-up, again produced by Don Was, Luck of the Draw (1991), brought her similar success. Later albums include Longing in Their Hearts (1994), Fundamental (1998), Silver Lining (2002) and Souls Alike (2005).
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Bonnie is listed only once:
Sunday Morning Classics
On 24 July 2022, it was Bonnie’s turn to take the stage for our Sunday Morning Classic. We chose her 1989 album "Nick of Time". In Rolling Stone’s list, this album ranks at number 192.
After being dumped by her previous label, Bonnie struck back with this multi-platinum Grammy-winning album, led by a fiery version of John Hiatt's "Thing Called Love" and the brilliant title track. A study in midlife crisis told from a woman’s perspective. Producer Don Was helped sharpen the songs without sacrificing any of her slide guitar fire. And as Raitt herself said, her 10th attempt was 'my first sober album'.
Source: NPO and Rolling Stone Photo: Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 and John Edwards
Below are some albums by Bonnie Raitt. Are you looking for a specific album? Please let us know.
