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.