 |
Brief Information about Bonnie Raitt at Warfield Theatre:
She is more than just a best-selling artist, expressive singer, respected guitarist, and accomplished songwriter, Bonnie Raitt has become an institution in American music as we know it. The release of her 18th album, Souls Alike, marks yet another exhilarating step in the legendary body of work of Bonnie Raitt.
Born to a very musical family, the 9 time Grammy winner is the daughter of a celebrated Broadway singer John Raitt & accomplished pianist/singer Marge Goddard. Raitt was raised in Los Angeles in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to social activism. When she received a Stella guitar given to her as a Christmas present it launched Bonnie on her journey at the age of 8. While growing up, though she was passionate about music from the start, Raitt never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many growing interests.
Restless in Los Angeles, in the late '60s, Bonnie moved east to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social Relations & African Studies, Raitt attended classes and immersed herself in the city's turbulent cultural and political activities. Exposure to the album Blues at Newport 1963 at age 14 had kindled her interest in blues and slide guitar, & between classes at Harvard - Bonnie explored these and other styles in local coffeehouse gigs. 3 years after entering college, Bonnie left to commit herself full-time to music, and shortly afterward found herself opening for surviving giants of the blues. From Sippie Wallace, Son House, Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and John Lee Hooker she learned 1rst-hand lessons of life as well as invaluable techniques of live performance.
The word spread quickly of the young red-haired blues woman, & her soulful, unaffected way of singing, and her uncanny insights into blues guitar. Warner Bros. tracked her down, signed her up, and in 1971 released her debut album, Bonnie Raitt. Her interpretations of classic blues by Robert Johnson and Sippie Wallace made a powerful critical impression, with the presence of contemporary songwriters, as well as several examples of Raitt’s own writing, indicated that this artist would not be restricted to any style.
Throughout Raitt’s career, Bonnie remained a committed activist, playing 100’s of benefit concerts & working tirelessly on behalf of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. By the early '80s, her own career was in trouble -1982's Green Light, while greeted with the usual good reviews, the release again failed to break her to a wideder audience, and while beginning her work on the follow-up album, Warners unceremoniously dropped her.
By this time, Raitt was also battling drug and alcohol problems as well; she started working on a few tracks with Prince, but their schedules never aligned and the material went unreleased. Instead, Bonnie released the patchwork Nine Lives in 1986, her worst-selling effort since her debut. Many had written Bonnie off when she teamed with producer Don Was and recorded Nick of Time; out of the blue, the LP won a handful of Grammys, including Album of the Year, and just like that, overnight, Bonnie was a superstar.
Past and Present Shows at Warfield Theatre
Bonnie Raitt Tickets at Warfield Theater
Benharper Innocent Criminals Tickets at Warfield Theatre
OAR Tickets at Warfield Theatre
Green Day Tickets San Francisco
Carlos Mencia Tickets Warfield Theater
|
|
