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Born 77 Years Ago Today in California, the Blues-Rock Powerhouse Who Waited Nearly 20 Years for Her Big Break and Became a Grammy Legend
Bonnie Raitt, born in Burbank, California, on 8 November 1949, built a career spanning blues, rock and roots music. Although she began releasing albums in 1971, her major commercial breakthrough came with 1989’s *Nick of Time*, which reached number one and won three Grammy Awards.
Raitt taught herself guitar after receiving one aged eight, and is known for her contralto voice, musicianship and songwriting. Follow-up albums *Luck of the Draw* and *Longing in Their Hearts* reached numbers two and one on the Billboard 200; she remains active, and the title track of her 2022 album *Just Like That…* won the 2023 Grammy for Song of the Year.
In short
- Bonnie Raitt was born in California on 8 November 1949.
- Her breakthrough album *Nick of Time* topped the US chart in 1989.
- She won Song of the Year at the 2023 Grammys.
Explained simply
Bonnie Raitt is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music draws on blues, rock and roots traditions. She began recording in the early 1970s and became known for her low voice, guitar playing and songwriting.
Her career shows how a musician can build an audience over many years before reaching a wider public. The success of Nick of Time brought her broad recognition and Grammy Awards, while later albums and songs kept her part of the American music scene.