Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer and guitarist. In the 1970s, Raitt started releasing music with a rootsy sound. Since then, she has released 17 studio albums, including “Nick of Time” (1989), “Luck of the Draw,” and “Longing in Their Hearts,” all of which have achieved platinum certification (1994).
The well-known slide guitarist Bonnie is best known for her hit singles “Something to Talk About,” “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “Love Sneakin’ Up On You,” and “Not the Only One.” She has merged blues, rock, folk, and country elements into her musical style.
She was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. “Rolling Stone” placed Bonnie Raitt at #50 on its 2008 “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” list and #89 on its 2015 “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” list.
We discuss Bonnie Raitt’s net worth, early life, career, and personal in this article. Read the post till the end to get complete details.
Bonnie Raitt Net Worth
As of 2023, Bonnie Raitt’s Net Worth is said to be around 12 million dollars. A sizable sum of money has been made by Raitt from her singing career, advocacy, and endorsement partnerships. Her investments and real estate assets have also generated profits for her.
Name | Bonnie Raitt |
Net Worth | $12 Million |
Gender | Female |
Date of Birth | November 8, 1949 |
Birth Place | Burbank, California, U.S. |
Profession | Political activist, guitarist, actor, singer-songwriter, musician, and film score composer |
Nationality | United States |
The Early Life of Bonnie Raitt
On November 8, 1949, in Burbank, California, Bonnie Lynn Raitt was born. Bonnie was raised alongside her brothers David and Steve and is the only child of actor John Raitt and pianist Marjorie Haydock. In 1976, Marjorie married Dr. James Goddard of the US Public Health Service after Raitt’s parents separated in 1970.
John, who was well-known for his roles in Broadway productions including “The Pajama Game” and “Carousel,” got married twice again—first to Rosamond Smith and then to Rosemary Kraemer. Sadly, Steve died away in 2009, John in 2005, and Marjorie in 2004.
Bonnie’s parents supported their children’s musical interests, and Raitt grew up learning to play the piano. She started going to Camp Regis in the Adirondack Mountains when she was 8 years old and got a Stella guitar for Christmas.
Raitt attended Camp Regis until she was 15 years old, and the staff frequently requested that she perform musical selections for the other campers.
Bonnie Raitt Education Path
To “travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was establishing a government based on democracy and socialism,” Bonnie first attended Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, New York, before enrolling at Radcliffe College at Harvard University.
Her majors there were African Studies and Social Relations. During his time in college, Raitt performed with the Revolutionary Music Collective and made a friend with blues promoter Dick Waterman.
She spent a semester of her sophomore year living in Philadelphia with Waterman and several local musicians, which she has referred to as “the opportunity that transformed everything.”
Bonnie Raitt Career Success: Anti-Apartheid Activism and Film Appearances
At the 1970 Philly Folk Festival, Bonnie and her brother David shared the stage with Mississippi Fred McDowell, and at New York’s Gaslight Cafe, Bonnie served as John Hammond’s opening act. Record label scouts attended Raitt’s performances after a “Newsweek” reporter watched her perform and started spreading the word about her.
In November 1971, she obtained a record deal with Warner Bros. and released her self-titled debut album. Bonnie released three more albums after “Give It Up,” her Gold-certified second album, in 1973 and 1974: “Takin’ My Time,” “Streetlights,” and “Home Plate” (1975).
At the end of 1975, she was on the cover of “Rolling Stone,” and in 1977, she issued the gold-certified album “Sweet Forgiveness,” which included the single “Runaway.” The albums “The Glow” (1979), “Green Light” (1982), and “Nine Lives” (1986) were subsequently released by Raitt.
The 1986 song “No Way to Treat a Lady” peaked at #15 on the “Billboard” Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. In the 1980s, Bonnie took part in Farm Aid, the Soviet/American Peace Concert, and the anti-apartheid music video “Sun City.”
In the 1980 movie “Urban Cowboy,” she sang the song “Don’t It Make You Wanna Dance,” and in the 1987 television special “Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night,” she sang in the background. Following her release from Warner Bros., Raitt got a record deal with Capitol Records.
Her debut album with the company, 1989’s “Nick of Time,” debuted at the top of the “Billboard” 200 charts and was placed #229 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” in 2003.
The singles “Something to Talk About,” “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “Not the Only One,” and “Come to Me” were top 10 hits on the Adult Contemporary list. Bonnie’s eleventh album, “Luck of the Draw,” released in 1991, peaked at #2 on the “Billboard” 200 charts.
With 1994’s “Longing in Their Hearts,” she achieved her second #1 album, and the single “Love Sneakin’ Up On You” peaked at #1 in Canada and #2 on the “Billboard” Adult Contemporary chart.
A duet with Bryan Adams, “Rock Steady,” appeared on the 1995 live album “Road Tested,” which achieved Gold status in the United States and Canada. The Gold albums “Fundamental” (1998) and “Silver Lining” (2002), as well as “Souls Alike” (2005), were released by Raitt.
The live CD/DVD “Bonnie Raitt and Friends” was published in 2006, and on the 2007 album “Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino,” she and Jon Cleary performed a mashup of the songs “All by Myself” and “I’m in Love Again.”
The album “Slipstream,” which Bonnie released in 2012, peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 chart and was hailed as “one of the best of her 40-year career” by American Songwriter.
2016 saw the release of Raitt’s 17th album, “Dig in Deep,” and the following year, she was scheduled to tour with James Taylor. However, the first leg of the tour had to be canceled “due to a medical condition” that necessitated surgery.
Bonnie would be honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Grammy Awards, while “Billboard” revealed that Raitt would receive the Icon Award at the 2022 “Billboard” Women In Music Awards. Both announcements were made in December 2021.
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Bonnie Raitt’s Personal Life: A Journey Through Marriage and Sobriety
On April 27, 1991, Bonnie wed actor Michael O’Keefe, and the two later divorced. In 2012, Raitt spoke candidly about her battles with alcohol and drugs “In the words of Parade” magazine, “I believed I had to lead that partying lifestyle in order, to be honest, but in reality, if you keep it up too long, all you’re going to be is sloppy or dead.
I recently celebrated 25 years of sobriety. I was among the fortunate ones. Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” song made everyone smile, but to me, it was devastating to hear her sing it since it appeared as though she was on a precipice. I also found it tragic to see Whitney Houston die.”
Bonnie joined Musicians United for Safe Energy as a founding member in 1979. She also backed No Nukes, Little Kids Rock, the Abalone Alliance, Alliance for Survival, and Musicians United for Safe Energy.
To collect money for the relief efforts for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, she sponsored new grave markers for singers Sam Chatmon, Tommy Johnson, Fred McDowell, and Memphis Minnie.
She also paid replacement headstones for Fred McDowell, one of her mentors. The Berklee College of Music in Boston awarded Raitt an honorary doctorate in music in 1991.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Bonnie Raitt come out?
The young blueswoman with the red hair, her deep, unaffected singing style, and her eerie insights into blues guitar swiftly gained popularity. Her debut album, Bonnie Raitt, was released in 1971 by Warner Bros. after they found her and signed her.
Did Bonnie Raitt win Grammy 2023?
Bonnie Raitt now holds a second Grammy in her collection. The icon unexpectedly triumphed on Sunday, taking up the 2023 Grammy for song of the year for "Just Like That" (Feb. 5).
What is Bonnie Raitt's biggest hit?
I am unable to make you love me. "I Can't Make You Love Me" was a 1991 release that peaked at number 20 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Did Bonnie Raitt attend Harvard?
Raitt entered Radcliffe College at Harvard University in 1967 after completing his education at Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, New York, and declared Social Relations and African Studies as his major.
Does Bonnie Raitt have a raspy voice?
Raitt's voice, which has grown a little raspier in conversation, was crystal clear while singing blues, ballads, and rock songs. Her intonation was also outstanding, and the richness of her timbre only slightly lessened.