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| Bonnie Raitt |
Henry," she says. "I'm a big fan of his writing and albums and love the work he's done producing Allen Toussaint, Solomon Burke, and
others. I thought it would be really intriguing to see what we could come up with. Coincidentally, he had been wanting to call me as well. Our
first phone call lasted over two hours."
They found a brief window when Henry's usual crew of musicians was available, augmented by a new friend of Bonnie's, the magnificent
guitarist Bill Frisell. "I didn't have to produce or get the band together, I could just show up and sing," she says. "I came to Joe's with, to use
a Zen expression, 'beginner's mind.'" The experiment yielded eight songs in 48 hours, and Raitt was inspired to get back to work full force. "I
loved singing these songs and playing with these guys so much," she says, "This was just the jumpstart I needed to get me back in the
saddle and wanting to work on a new album."
She plans to release the full results of the Joe Henry sessions down the line, but for now she chose to include four of these tracks on
Slipstream —the Henry originals "You Can't Fail Me Now" (co-written with Loudon Wainwright III) and "God Only Knows," and two songs from
Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind album, "Million Miles" and "Standing in the Doorway."
A few months later, Raitt gathered her long-time touring bandmates—George Marinelli on guitar, James "Hutch" Hutchinson on bass, and
Ricky Fataar on drums—along with a new addition and an old friend on keys, Mike Finnigan (Taj Mahal; Joe Cocker; Crosby, Stills and
Nash) in a Los Angeles studio. Bonnie was also pleased to have Maia Sharp, one of her favorite artists and a collaborator on Souls Alike,
joining her team once again, adding back-up vocals to several songs.
Raitt retained Henry's engineer, Ryan Freeland (Ray LaMontagne, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Aimee Mann), whom she loved working with, as a
way to unify the project's sound. The band went straight to work and quickly recorded a slew of songs Raitt had been collecting over the last
few years.
Where Raitt's last several albums concentrated on material from lesser-known and younger songwriters, Slipstream draws from more of her
contemporaries, including Paul Brady and Michael O'Keefe's "Marriage Made in Hollywood" and a reggae-fied version of Gerry Rafferty's
"Right Down the Line." Her longtime friend Al Anderson, formerly of NRBQ, contributes three songs and plays on four; his hard-bopping
guitar work adds to the general sense of six-string gunslinging throughout the album. "One of the new things about this record is that we let
the guitar jams go on for a while," says Raitt. George and I got into some rockin' back and forth like we do live, and I had a ball going head-
to-head with Al Anderson, one of my all-time favorite guitarists, on his 'Split Decision.'
More than just a best-selling artist, respected guitarist, expressive singer, and accomplished songwriter, Bonnie Raitt has become an
institution in American music. Born to a musical family, the nine-time Grammy winner, who Rolling Stone named one of the "100 Greatest
Singers of All Time," is the daughter of celebrated Broadway singer John Raitt (Carousel, Oklahoma!, The Pajama Game) and accomplished
pianist/singer Marge Goddard. She was raised in Los Angeles in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to
social activism. A Stella guitar given to her as a Christmas present launched Bonnie on her creative journey at the age of eight. While
growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many
growing interests.
In the late '60s, restless in Los Angeles, she moved east to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social
Relations and African Studies, she attended classes and immersed herself in the city's turbulent cultural and political activities. "I couldn't
wait to get back to where there were folkies and the antiwar and civil rights movements," she says. "There were so many great music and
political scenes going on in the late '60s in Cambridge." Also, she adds, with a laugh, "the ratio of guys to girls at Harvard was four to one,
so all of those things were playing in my mind."
Raitt was already deeply involved with folk music and the blues at that time. Exposure to the album Blues at Newport 1963 at age 14 had
kindled her interest in blues and slide guitar, and between classes at Harvard she explored these and other styles in local coffeehouse gigs.
Three 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 Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sippie Wallace, Son House, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker she learned first-
hand lessons of life as well as invaluable techniques of performance.
"I'm certain that it was an incredible gift for me to not only be friends with some of the greatest blues people who've ever lived, but to learn
how they played, how they sang, how they lived their lives, ran their marriages, and talked to their kids," she says. "I was especially lucky as
so many of them are no longer with us."
Word spread quickly of the young red-haired blueswoman, 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, but the presence of intriguing tunes by contemporary
songwriters, as well as several examples of her own writing, indicated that this artist would not be restricted to any one pigeonhole or style.
Over the next seven years she would record six albums. Give It Up, Takin' My Time, Streetlights, and Home Plate were followed in 1977 by
Sweet Forgiveness, which featured her first hit single, a gritty Memphis/R&B arrangement of Del Shannon's "Runaway." Three Grammy
nominations followed in the 1980s, as she released The Glow, Green Light, and Nine Lives. A compilation of highlights from these Warner
Bros. albums (plus two previously unreleased live duets) was released as The Bonnie Raitt Collection in 1990. All of these Warners albums
have been digitally remastered and re-released.
In between sessions, when not burning highways on tour with her band, she devoted herself to playing benefits and speaking out in support
of an array of worthy causes, campaigning to stop the war in Central America; participating in the Sun City anti-apartheid project; performing
at the historic 1980 No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden; co-founding MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy); and working for
environmental protection and for the rights of women and Native Americans.
others. I thought it would be really intriguing to see what we could come up with. Coincidentally, he had been wanting to call me as well. Our
first phone call lasted over two hours."
They found a brief window when Henry's usual crew of musicians was available, augmented by a new friend of Bonnie's, the magnificent
guitarist Bill Frisell. "I didn't have to produce or get the band together, I could just show up and sing," she says. "I came to Joe's with, to use
a Zen expression, 'beginner's mind.'" The experiment yielded eight songs in 48 hours, and Raitt was inspired to get back to work full force. "I
loved singing these songs and playing with these guys so much," she says, "This was just the jumpstart I needed to get me back in the
saddle and wanting to work on a new album."
She plans to release the full results of the Joe Henry sessions down the line, but for now she chose to include four of these tracks on
Slipstream —the Henry originals "You Can't Fail Me Now" (co-written with Loudon Wainwright III) and "God Only Knows," and two songs from
Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind album, "Million Miles" and "Standing in the Doorway."
A few months later, Raitt gathered her long-time touring bandmates—George Marinelli on guitar, James "Hutch" Hutchinson on bass, and
Ricky Fataar on drums—along with a new addition and an old friend on keys, Mike Finnigan (Taj Mahal; Joe Cocker; Crosby, Stills and
Nash) in a Los Angeles studio. Bonnie was also pleased to have Maia Sharp, one of her favorite artists and a collaborator on Souls Alike,
joining her team once again, adding back-up vocals to several songs.
Raitt retained Henry's engineer, Ryan Freeland (Ray LaMontagne, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Aimee Mann), whom she loved working with, as a
way to unify the project's sound. The band went straight to work and quickly recorded a slew of songs Raitt had been collecting over the last
few years.
Where Raitt's last several albums concentrated on material from lesser-known and younger songwriters, Slipstream draws from more of her
contemporaries, including Paul Brady and Michael O'Keefe's "Marriage Made in Hollywood" and a reggae-fied version of Gerry Rafferty's
"Right Down the Line." Her longtime friend Al Anderson, formerly of NRBQ, contributes three songs and plays on four; his hard-bopping
guitar work adds to the general sense of six-string gunslinging throughout the album. "One of the new things about this record is that we let
the guitar jams go on for a while," says Raitt. George and I got into some rockin' back and forth like we do live, and I had a ball going head-
to-head with Al Anderson, one of my all-time favorite guitarists, on his 'Split Decision.'
More than just a best-selling artist, respected guitarist, expressive singer, and accomplished songwriter, Bonnie Raitt has become an
institution in American music. Born to a musical family, the nine-time Grammy winner, who Rolling Stone named one of the "100 Greatest
Singers of All Time," is the daughter of celebrated Broadway singer John Raitt (Carousel, Oklahoma!, The Pajama Game) and accomplished
pianist/singer Marge Goddard. She was raised in Los Angeles in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to
social activism. A Stella guitar given to her as a Christmas present launched Bonnie on her creative journey at the age of eight. While
growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many
growing interests.
In the late '60s, restless in Los Angeles, she moved east to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social
Relations and African Studies, she attended classes and immersed herself in the city's turbulent cultural and political activities. "I couldn't
wait to get back to where there were folkies and the antiwar and civil rights movements," she says. "There were so many great music and
political scenes going on in the late '60s in Cambridge." Also, she adds, with a laugh, "the ratio of guys to girls at Harvard was four to one,
so all of those things were playing in my mind."
Raitt was already deeply involved with folk music and the blues at that time. Exposure to the album Blues at Newport 1963 at age 14 had
kindled her interest in blues and slide guitar, and between classes at Harvard she explored these and other styles in local coffeehouse gigs.
Three 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 Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sippie Wallace, Son House, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker she learned first-
hand lessons of life as well as invaluable techniques of performance.
"I'm certain that it was an incredible gift for me to not only be friends with some of the greatest blues people who've ever lived, but to learn
how they played, how they sang, how they lived their lives, ran their marriages, and talked to their kids," she says. "I was especially lucky as
so many of them are no longer with us."
Word spread quickly of the young red-haired blueswoman, 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, but the presence of intriguing tunes by contemporary
songwriters, as well as several examples of her own writing, indicated that this artist would not be restricted to any one pigeonhole or style.
Over the next seven years she would record six albums. Give It Up, Takin' My Time, Streetlights, and Home Plate were followed in 1977 by
Sweet Forgiveness, which featured her first hit single, a gritty Memphis/R&B arrangement of Del Shannon's "Runaway." Three Grammy
nominations followed in the 1980s, as she released The Glow, Green Light, and Nine Lives. A compilation of highlights from these Warner
Bros. albums (plus two previously unreleased live duets) was released as The Bonnie Raitt Collection in 1990. All of these Warners albums
have been digitally remastered and re-released.
In between sessions, when not burning highways on tour with her band, she devoted herself to playing benefits and speaking out in support
of an array of worthy causes, campaigning to stop the war in Central America; participating in the Sun City anti-apartheid project; performing
at the historic 1980 No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden; co-founding MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy); and working for
environmental protection and for the rights of women and Native Americans.
| New Music: Blues |
| New Music USA - New Music Magazine - New Music Blog - New Music Promotion |
| New Music USA |
| New Music Magazine / Blog / Promotion |
With the release of her nineteenth album, Slipstream, Bonnie
Raitt is starting anew. The album marks her return to studio
recording after seven years; it's coming out as the launch of
her own label, Redwing Records; and it delivers some of the
most surprising and rewarding music of her remarkable
career, thanks in part to some experimental sessions with
celebrated producer Joe Henry.
The years before and after Raitt's last album, 2005's
acclaimed Souls Alike, weren't an easy time for her, with the
passing of parents, her brother, and a best friend. So after
following that album with her usual long run of touring—
winding up with the "dream come true" of the "BonTaj Roulet"
revue with Taj Mahal in 2009 and a triumphant appearance
at the all-star Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary
concerts the same year— she decided to step back and
recharge for a while.
"I took a hiatus from touring and recording to get back in
touch with the other part of my life," she says. "On the road,
under stress, it's hard to stay in balance and move forward."
Excited to have time at home and with her family and friends,
she could go to the symphony, check out live jazz and Cuban
shows, and so much else. She continued her ongoing
political work, helping to organize NukeFree.org in 2007 and
supporting her favorite non-profit organizations. "I didn't
have to be the professional version of myself for a long
time," she says. "It wasn't so much a vacation as a chance to
take care of a lot of neglected areas of my life, a lot of
processing after all that loss and activity."
When she started thinking about making music again,
Bonnie knew she needed to try something out of the
ordinary. "I was really interested in working with different
people, and someone I had always been drawn to was Joe
Raitt is starting anew. The album marks her return to studio
recording after seven years; it's coming out as the launch of
her own label, Redwing Records; and it delivers some of the
most surprising and rewarding music of her remarkable
career, thanks in part to some experimental sessions with
celebrated producer Joe Henry.
The years before and after Raitt's last album, 2005's
acclaimed Souls Alike, weren't an easy time for her, with the
passing of parents, her brother, and a best friend. So after
following that album with her usual long run of touring—
winding up with the "dream come true" of the "BonTaj Roulet"
revue with Taj Mahal in 2009 and a triumphant appearance
at the all-star Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary
concerts the same year— she decided to step back and
recharge for a while.
"I took a hiatus from touring and recording to get back in
touch with the other part of my life," she says. "On the road,
under stress, it's hard to stay in balance and move forward."
Excited to have time at home and with her family and friends,
she could go to the symphony, check out live jazz and Cuban
shows, and so much else. She continued her ongoing
political work, helping to organize NukeFree.org in 2007 and
supporting her favorite non-profit organizations. "I didn't
have to be the professional version of myself for a long
time," she says. "It wasn't so much a vacation as a chance to
take care of a lot of neglected areas of my life, a lot of
processing after all that loss and activity."
When she started thinking about making music again,
Bonnie knew she needed to try something out of the
ordinary. "I was really interested in working with different
people, and someone I had always been drawn to was Joe
After forging an alliance with Capitol Records in 1989, Bonnie
achieved new levels of popular and critical acclaim. She won
four Grammy Awards in 1990—three for her Nick of Time
album and one for her duet with John Lee Hooker on his
breakthrough album, The Healer. Within weeks, Nick of Time
shot to number one (it is now certified quintuple platinum).
Luck of the Draw (1991, seven-times platinum) brought even
more success, firing two hit singles— "Something to Talk
About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me" —up the charts, and
adding three more Grammys to her shelf. The double-
platinum Longing in Their Hearts, released in 1994, featured
the hit single "Love Sneakin' Up On You" and was honored
with a Grammy for Best Pop Album. It was followed in 1995 by
the live double CD and film Road Tested (now available on
DVD).
After all the awards and honors and decades of virtually non-
stop touring under her belt, Bonnie continued her activism
and guesting on numerous friends' records, including Ruth
Brown, Charles Brown, Keb' Mo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo,
and Bruce Cockburn, as well as tribute records for Richard
Thompson, Lowell George, and Pete Seeger. She picked up
another Grammy in 1996 for Best Rock Instrumental
Performance for her collaboration on "SRV Shuffle" from the
all-star Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and continued her
"dual career," performing with her father, John, in concerts as
well as on his Grammy-nominated album, Broadway Legend,
released in 1995.
In 1998, she returned to the studio with a new collaborative
team to create Fundamental, one of her most exploratory
projects, signaling her growing desire to "shake things up a
bit." Inspired by the music of Zimbabwean world-beat master
Oliver Mtukudzi, Bonnie wrote "One Belief Away," the first
single, with Paul Brady and Dillon O'Brian.
achieved new levels of popular and critical acclaim. She won
four Grammy Awards in 1990—three for her Nick of Time
album and one for her duet with John Lee Hooker on his
breakthrough album, The Healer. Within weeks, Nick of Time
shot to number one (it is now certified quintuple platinum).
Luck of the Draw (1991, seven-times platinum) brought even
more success, firing two hit singles— "Something to Talk
About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me" —up the charts, and
adding three more Grammys to her shelf. The double-
platinum Longing in Their Hearts, released in 1994, featured
the hit single "Love Sneakin' Up On You" and was honored
with a Grammy for Best Pop Album. It was followed in 1995 by
the live double CD and film Road Tested (now available on
DVD).
After all the awards and honors and decades of virtually non-
stop touring under her belt, Bonnie continued her activism
and guesting on numerous friends' records, including Ruth
Brown, Charles Brown, Keb' Mo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo,
and Bruce Cockburn, as well as tribute records for Richard
Thompson, Lowell George, and Pete Seeger. She picked up
another Grammy in 1996 for Best Rock Instrumental
Performance for her collaboration on "SRV Shuffle" from the
all-star Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and continued her
"dual career," performing with her father, John, in concerts as
well as on his Grammy-nominated album, Broadway Legend,
released in 1995.
In 1998, she returned to the studio with a new collaborative
team to create Fundamental, one of her most exploratory
projects, signaling her growing desire to "shake things up a
bit." Inspired by the music of Zimbabwean world-beat master
Oliver Mtukudzi, Bonnie wrote "One Belief Away," the first
single, with Paul Brady and Dillon O'Brian.
In March of 2000, Bonnie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; this was followed by her welcome into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of
Fame, along with her father, in June 2001. Over the years, Bonnie has appeared as a guest on over 100 album projects, as chronicled in
the discography section of her official website. She continues to stretch the boundaries, performing with artists as varied as Cape Verdean
singer Cesaria Evora, and legends B.B.King, Tony Bennett, and Willie Nelson.
After the Fundamental tour, she went back into the studio with her veteran road band to record Silver Lining, released in 2002. Featuring
Bonnie'sstunning interpretation of the David Gray-penned title track, the Grammy-nominated "Gnawin' On It," and the hit single "I Can't Help
You Now,"Silver Lining was considered by many critics to be one of the best albums of her career. She promoted the album with a lengthy
world tour that included her Green Highway Festival and an eco-partnership promoting BioDiesel fuel, the environment, and alternative
energy solutions at shows and benefits along the way. In 2003, she released the retrospective The Best of Bonnie Raitt on Capitol.
Raitt stayed busy with more guest appearances, including the stunning duet "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" on Ray Charles' final release,
Genius Loves Company, which won the Grammy award for Album of the Year, and a duet on the Grammy-winning album True Love by
Toots & The Maytals. Her 1989 breakthrough album, Nick of Time, was remixed for surround sound, and released by Capitol Records in
2004 as a DVD-Audio, garnering a Grammy nomination in the newly created category, Best Surround Sound Album.
In 2003, she also participated in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed PBS series, The Blues, performing two songs in Wim Wenders' film, The Soul
of a Man, and joining the all-star cast of Lightning in a Bottle, the live feature concert film on the Blues directed by Antoine Fuqua. She also
contributed songs for two Disney movies, The Country Bears and Home on the Range. She played guitar on a track on Stevie Wonder's
album, A Time To Love, and appeared in the TV/DVD tribute, Music l0l: Al Green.
Souls Alike, her first album ever to bear the credit "Produced by Bonnie Raitt." debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 in September 2005,
eliciting widespread critical acclaim and propelling Raitt back onto the road. She was also selected as the inaugural artist for the VH1
Classic Decades Rock Live! CD/DVD series. Bonnie Raitt and Friends Featuring Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Alison Krauss and Keb'Mo' was
released in August of 2006.
In the years in and around the release of Souls Alike, she co-headlined with Jackson Browne and Keb Mo' part of the historic "Vote For
Change" tour leading up to the 2004 Presidential election, and then again for the 2008 election, staged a series of benefit concerts and
fundraising receptions to help get out the vote and encourage voting in key Democratic Senate races. In 2007, Bonnie joined her MUSE
(Musicians United for Safe Energy) friends Jackson Browne and Graham Nash to launch a campaign to prevent the legislative bailout of the
nuclear industry and developed www.nukefree.org, a website that serves as an information and networking hub for safe energy activists. In
August 2011, MUSE mounted a very successful benefit concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre to raise funds for Japan disaster relief (following
the devastating earthquake, tsunami and meltdown of the Daichi-Fukushima nuclear reactors earlier in the year,) as well as non-nuclear
organizations worldwide.
Bonnie continues to use her influence to affect the way music is perceived and appreciated in the world. In 1988, she co-founded the
Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which works to improve royalties, financial conditions, and recognition for a whole generation of R&B
pioneers to whom she feels we owe so much. In 1995, she initiated the Bonnie Raitt Guitar Project with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America,
currently running in 200 clubs around the world, to encourage underprivileged youth to play music as budgets for music instruction in the
schools run dry. Bonnie currently sits on the Advisory or Honorary Boards of a number of organizations, including Little Kids Rock,
Rainforest Action Network, Music Maker Relief Foundation and the Arhoolie Foundation.
Her commitment to the redemptive power of music is expressed in the foreword she wrote to American Roots, the book based on 2001's
PBS series of the same name. "I feel strongly that this appreciation needs to be out there so that black, Latino and all kids can understand
the roots of their own musical heritage," she explains. "The consolidation of the music business has made it difficult to encourage styles like
the blues, all of which deserve to be celebrated as part of our most treasured national resources."
In the summer of 2009, Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal—two leading lights of modern blues—joined forces for their first-ever tour together. The
"BonTaj Roulet" tour featured Bonnie and Taj on stage alone and together, before closing each night with a collaborative, blow-out Rhythm
and Blues revue-style performance. In addition to the glorious sounds made from the stage, the BonTaj Tour also raised over $200,000 for
charity. In an act of democracy dubbed the BonTaj Collective Action Fund, concertgoers voted amongst four cause areas and net proceeds
were distributed in proportion to overall votes tallied.
"The 'BonTaj' tour was a dream of mine to put together," she says. "I knew that those shows—culminating in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
show, which was a blast—would signal the beginning of a hiatus for me." Now, Raitt is re-energized and excited to strap her guitar back on
and get to work. After spending her career split between Warner Bros and Capitol Records, she is venturing out on her own with a label
called Redwing Records. (Slipstream will be distributed by RED in North America and Proper Records for Ex North America.)
The album's title is very significant for Bonnie —Slipstream isn't just a beautiful sounding word, but an indication of her place in the music
community. "I'm in the slipstream of all these styles of music," she says. "I'm so inspired and so proud to continue these traditions, whether
it's reggae or soul or blues. I'm in the slipstream of those who came before me, and I'm leaving one for those behind me. I'm holding up the
traditions of the music that I love."
Fame, along with her father, in June 2001. Over the years, Bonnie has appeared as a guest on over 100 album projects, as chronicled in
the discography section of her official website. She continues to stretch the boundaries, performing with artists as varied as Cape Verdean
singer Cesaria Evora, and legends B.B.King, Tony Bennett, and Willie Nelson.
After the Fundamental tour, she went back into the studio with her veteran road band to record Silver Lining, released in 2002. Featuring
Bonnie'sstunning interpretation of the David Gray-penned title track, the Grammy-nominated "Gnawin' On It," and the hit single "I Can't Help
You Now,"Silver Lining was considered by many critics to be one of the best albums of her career. She promoted the album with a lengthy
world tour that included her Green Highway Festival and an eco-partnership promoting BioDiesel fuel, the environment, and alternative
energy solutions at shows and benefits along the way. In 2003, she released the retrospective The Best of Bonnie Raitt on Capitol.
Raitt stayed busy with more guest appearances, including the stunning duet "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" on Ray Charles' final release,
Genius Loves Company, which won the Grammy award for Album of the Year, and a duet on the Grammy-winning album True Love by
Toots & The Maytals. Her 1989 breakthrough album, Nick of Time, was remixed for surround sound, and released by Capitol Records in
2004 as a DVD-Audio, garnering a Grammy nomination in the newly created category, Best Surround Sound Album.
In 2003, she also participated in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed PBS series, The Blues, performing two songs in Wim Wenders' film, The Soul
of a Man, and joining the all-star cast of Lightning in a Bottle, the live feature concert film on the Blues directed by Antoine Fuqua. She also
contributed songs for two Disney movies, The Country Bears and Home on the Range. She played guitar on a track on Stevie Wonder's
album, A Time To Love, and appeared in the TV/DVD tribute, Music l0l: Al Green.
Souls Alike, her first album ever to bear the credit "Produced by Bonnie Raitt." debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 in September 2005,
eliciting widespread critical acclaim and propelling Raitt back onto the road. She was also selected as the inaugural artist for the VH1
Classic Decades Rock Live! CD/DVD series. Bonnie Raitt and Friends Featuring Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Alison Krauss and Keb'Mo' was
released in August of 2006.
In the years in and around the release of Souls Alike, she co-headlined with Jackson Browne and Keb Mo' part of the historic "Vote For
Change" tour leading up to the 2004 Presidential election, and then again for the 2008 election, staged a series of benefit concerts and
fundraising receptions to help get out the vote and encourage voting in key Democratic Senate races. In 2007, Bonnie joined her MUSE
(Musicians United for Safe Energy) friends Jackson Browne and Graham Nash to launch a campaign to prevent the legislative bailout of the
nuclear industry and developed www.nukefree.org, a website that serves as an information and networking hub for safe energy activists. In
August 2011, MUSE mounted a very successful benefit concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre to raise funds for Japan disaster relief (following
the devastating earthquake, tsunami and meltdown of the Daichi-Fukushima nuclear reactors earlier in the year,) as well as non-nuclear
organizations worldwide.
Bonnie continues to use her influence to affect the way music is perceived and appreciated in the world. In 1988, she co-founded the
Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which works to improve royalties, financial conditions, and recognition for a whole generation of R&B
pioneers to whom she feels we owe so much. In 1995, she initiated the Bonnie Raitt Guitar Project with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America,
currently running in 200 clubs around the world, to encourage underprivileged youth to play music as budgets for music instruction in the
schools run dry. Bonnie currently sits on the Advisory or Honorary Boards of a number of organizations, including Little Kids Rock,
Rainforest Action Network, Music Maker Relief Foundation and the Arhoolie Foundation.
Her commitment to the redemptive power of music is expressed in the foreword she wrote to American Roots, the book based on 2001's
PBS series of the same name. "I feel strongly that this appreciation needs to be out there so that black, Latino and all kids can understand
the roots of their own musical heritage," she explains. "The consolidation of the music business has made it difficult to encourage styles like
the blues, all of which deserve to be celebrated as part of our most treasured national resources."
In the summer of 2009, Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal—two leading lights of modern blues—joined forces for their first-ever tour together. The
"BonTaj Roulet" tour featured Bonnie and Taj on stage alone and together, before closing each night with a collaborative, blow-out Rhythm
and Blues revue-style performance. In addition to the glorious sounds made from the stage, the BonTaj Tour also raised over $200,000 for
charity. In an act of democracy dubbed the BonTaj Collective Action Fund, concertgoers voted amongst four cause areas and net proceeds
were distributed in proportion to overall votes tallied.
"The 'BonTaj' tour was a dream of mine to put together," she says. "I knew that those shows—culminating in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
show, which was a blast—would signal the beginning of a hiatus for me." Now, Raitt is re-energized and excited to strap her guitar back on
and get to work. After spending her career split between Warner Bros and Capitol Records, she is venturing out on her own with a label
called Redwing Records. (Slipstream will be distributed by RED in North America and Proper Records for Ex North America.)
The album's title is very significant for Bonnie —Slipstream isn't just a beautiful sounding word, but an indication of her place in the music
community. "I'm in the slipstream of all these styles of music," she says. "I'm so inspired and so proud to continue these traditions, whether
it's reggae or soul or blues. I'm in the slipstream of those who came before me, and I'm leaving one for those behind me. I'm holding up the
traditions of the music that I love."
BOSTON, MA (02/20/11) – If you could use your GPS to find a place
where roots, blues, jazz and rock music collides – it would point you
towards B Street in Boston ... B Street Blues that is. This power-
packed band continues to accelerate in their latest release - Car
Won’t Go. With ten tracks firing on ten cylinders, their hard-driving
blues provides a finely-tuned, fuel-injected, “Blues Muse Machine.”
B Street Blues consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Norm Tiedemann,
Dave Schaefer on drums and vocals, and Chris "Chez" Chesna on
bass. However, Car Won’t Go was definitely a team effort that
stretches well beyond the band’s members to many other musical
professionals. Tiedemann explains, “Everyone brought with them the
mastership of their instrument – the whole greater than the sum of
its parts.” These artists are a true “carload” of talent. They include
Allman Brothers’ guitarist Jack Pearson, legendary saxophone
player Richie Cole, blues harmonica master James Montgomery and
guitarist Linwood Taylor. The album also features Tiedemann’s son
- guitar player Norm Tiedemann II, as well as the pianist Pete Previte
and guitar gurus Pete Early and Rich Forziati.
Car Won’t Go might be the title, but don’t be fooled – it not only
goes - it gets great mileage with a high-octane blend of classical and
modern blues. A finalist in the 2005 Boston Blues Challenge, B
Street Blues is known for their vivacious live performances, and
cutting-edge vocals. That tradition continues in the album which
reflects the emotion, feeling and unique sound of the original
compositions Tiedemann, Chesna and Schaefer offer. “We’re a
perfect meld of traditional roots blues and hints of jazz and classic
rock flavors,” says Chesna.
The first track on Car Won’t Go is “Big Blue Blues” – a composition
that shows off every aspect of B Street Blues’ trunk full of talent.
With highly-charged vocals, wailing guitar riffs, and Jack Pearson’s
amazing work on the Hammond B3 organ, it is an anthem that
primes the engine. “Live Bait” hooks the listener with its ZZ Top-ish
guitar and addictive southern southern roots style. A laid-back
where roots, blues, jazz and rock music collides – it would point you
towards B Street in Boston ... B Street Blues that is. This power-
packed band continues to accelerate in their latest release - Car
Won’t Go. With ten tracks firing on ten cylinders, their hard-driving
blues provides a finely-tuned, fuel-injected, “Blues Muse Machine.”
B Street Blues consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Norm Tiedemann,
Dave Schaefer on drums and vocals, and Chris "Chez" Chesna on
bass. However, Car Won’t Go was definitely a team effort that
stretches well beyond the band’s members to many other musical
professionals. Tiedemann explains, “Everyone brought with them the
mastership of their instrument – the whole greater than the sum of
its parts.” These artists are a true “carload” of talent. They include
Allman Brothers’ guitarist Jack Pearson, legendary saxophone
player Richie Cole, blues harmonica master James Montgomery and
guitarist Linwood Taylor. The album also features Tiedemann’s son
- guitar player Norm Tiedemann II, as well as the pianist Pete Previte
and guitar gurus Pete Early and Rich Forziati.
Car Won’t Go might be the title, but don’t be fooled – it not only
goes - it gets great mileage with a high-octane blend of classical and
modern blues. A finalist in the 2005 Boston Blues Challenge, B
Street Blues is known for their vivacious live performances, and
cutting-edge vocals. That tradition continues in the album which
reflects the emotion, feeling and unique sound of the original
compositions Tiedemann, Chesna and Schaefer offer. “We’re a
perfect meld of traditional roots blues and hints of jazz and classic
rock flavors,” says Chesna.
The first track on Car Won’t Go is “Big Blue Blues” – a composition
that shows off every aspect of B Street Blues’ trunk full of talent.
With highly-charged vocals, wailing guitar riffs, and Jack Pearson’s
amazing work on the Hammond B3 organ, it is an anthem that
primes the engine. “Live Bait” hooks the listener with its ZZ Top-ish
guitar and addictive southern southern roots style. A laid-back
| Blues, Jazz and Rock Collide on B-Street |
“Set a Spell” paints a perfect retro soundscape of a hot, lazy
Louisiana day with the amazing harmonica work of James
Montgomery. Other notable tracks are the instrumental and jazzy
“Spinner.” Even subtle hints of Clapton can be heard in the classic
blues ballad “Honesty.” Car Won’t Go has ten tracks that
encompass a little bit of everything for every blues fan. The key to
this car’s ignition is the team effort of professional musical masters.
Turn on your GPS, and take Car Won’t Go for a spin – you’ll love
the hard-driving blues of this “Blues Muse Machine.”
www.bstreetblues.com
Louisiana day with the amazing harmonica work of James
Montgomery. Other notable tracks are the instrumental and jazzy
“Spinner.” Even subtle hints of Clapton can be heard in the classic
blues ballad “Honesty.” Car Won’t Go has ten tracks that
encompass a little bit of everything for every blues fan. The key to
this car’s ignition is the team effort of professional musical masters.
Turn on your GPS, and take Car Won’t Go for a spin – you’ll love
the hard-driving blues of this “Blues Muse Machine.”
www.bstreetblues.com
| Music Genres: Blues / Jazz / Roots / Rock |
| Lisa Sheppard |
| Music Genres: Americana, Blues, Country, Roots Rock If You Like: Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, Shelby Lynne |
Elvis. Earthquakes. Heartache. Poker. Roof cave-ins. For a roots-rock singer-songwriter,
even Hollywood couldn’t conjure a more perfect storm of inspiration and raw material than
the one filling Lisa Sheppard’s notebooks.
“When I think about it, I guess my life has been pretty interesting,” says the Texas-raised,
Los Angeles-based artist. “I’m a person who’s easily bored, so I’m continuously looking for
something new to wrap myself around. The stories in my songs tend to be about the process
of life.”
Neon Lights, Lisa’s stunning sophomore album, burns with the grit-filled, heartfelt sounds of
that process. The moods and tales within are as frank and richly varied as the life of their
earthy-voiced creator: The disc’s 11 built-to-last songs are typified by such offerings as
“You Got Your Freedom,” a rough-edged, blues-rocking kiss-off to a departing ex-lover, and
“Once I Leave LA,” a sobering meditation on the thoughts of a desperate friend set to a
bittersweet waltz. And then there’s the title track, an image-rich, gospel-tinged narrative that
cashes in on the singer’s observations from her years as a professional poker player.
Lisa was born on Christmas Day. She grew up in Houston with music-loving parents who
began bringing her to see live bands when she was just seven years old. Her mother, an
impassioned follower of country and early rock ’n’ roll, was friends with Elvis Presley, George
Jones, and rockabilly pioneer Tommy Sands, whose fan club she ran. Through her parents
Lisa also discovered the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, and the Eagles, and at
age nine she started guitar lessons. By age 16, however, her attention had turned toward a
different type of stage, and she decided to pursue a theatrical career.
In 1988 Lisa moved to LA, where her focus eventually shifted from acting to playwriting and
directing. But in 1993 she received a not-so-subtle sign that maybe the theatrical world wasn’
t for her: During the opening run of “Metro,” a three-act play she co-wrote and directed with
her late husband, the roof of the presenting theater caved in (luckily, no one was hurt). Two
further collapses, that of her house in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and that of the
marriage, soon had her searching for another creative outlet.
Lisa dabbled in visual art while growing further immersed in LA’s rich music scene. Inspired
by the latter, in 2008 she picked up her guitar, wiped away 20 years of dust, and not only
started playing again but writing songs as well. “My ex-husband had died, and I’d been
carrying that loss and a lot of other stuff,” she recalls. “It all started coming out.” In October
2009 Lisa debuted with One-Track Mind, a collection of 10 striking originals that was quickly
snapped up by blues and alt.country radio and drew praise from Country Weekly and
Belgian online magazines Rootsville.be and Rootstime.be. The album’s success soon had
her appearing at the House of Blues and other top clubs.
Produced by Rich McCulley (Sparklejet, the Meadows), Neon Lights also features drummer
DJ Bonebrake (X, the Knitters), pianist Carl Byron (Michelle Shocked, Anne McCue),
bassists Todd Connelly (Phoebe Snow, Billy Squier), Greg Boaz (Dave Alvin) and Taras
Prodaniuk (Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakum). “Lisa’s music is a blend of Texas storytelling,
Stonesy rock ’n’ roll, and a splash of Lucinda Williams,” says McCulley. “It’s all in there.”
It certainly is. As any lover of well-crafted, honestly played songs will eagerly agree. With
Neon Lights, Lisa Sheppard reminds us once again her future is bright indeed.
www.LisaSheppardMusic.com
even Hollywood couldn’t conjure a more perfect storm of inspiration and raw material than
the one filling Lisa Sheppard’s notebooks.
“When I think about it, I guess my life has been pretty interesting,” says the Texas-raised,
Los Angeles-based artist. “I’m a person who’s easily bored, so I’m continuously looking for
something new to wrap myself around. The stories in my songs tend to be about the process
of life.”
Neon Lights, Lisa’s stunning sophomore album, burns with the grit-filled, heartfelt sounds of
that process. The moods and tales within are as frank and richly varied as the life of their
earthy-voiced creator: The disc’s 11 built-to-last songs are typified by such offerings as
“You Got Your Freedom,” a rough-edged, blues-rocking kiss-off to a departing ex-lover, and
“Once I Leave LA,” a sobering meditation on the thoughts of a desperate friend set to a
bittersweet waltz. And then there’s the title track, an image-rich, gospel-tinged narrative that
cashes in on the singer’s observations from her years as a professional poker player.
Lisa was born on Christmas Day. She grew up in Houston with music-loving parents who
began bringing her to see live bands when she was just seven years old. Her mother, an
impassioned follower of country and early rock ’n’ roll, was friends with Elvis Presley, George
Jones, and rockabilly pioneer Tommy Sands, whose fan club she ran. Through her parents
Lisa also discovered the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, and the Eagles, and at
age nine she started guitar lessons. By age 16, however, her attention had turned toward a
different type of stage, and she decided to pursue a theatrical career.
In 1988 Lisa moved to LA, where her focus eventually shifted from acting to playwriting and
directing. But in 1993 she received a not-so-subtle sign that maybe the theatrical world wasn’
t for her: During the opening run of “Metro,” a three-act play she co-wrote and directed with
her late husband, the roof of the presenting theater caved in (luckily, no one was hurt). Two
further collapses, that of her house in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and that of the
marriage, soon had her searching for another creative outlet.
Lisa dabbled in visual art while growing further immersed in LA’s rich music scene. Inspired
by the latter, in 2008 she picked up her guitar, wiped away 20 years of dust, and not only
started playing again but writing songs as well. “My ex-husband had died, and I’d been
carrying that loss and a lot of other stuff,” she recalls. “It all started coming out.” In October
2009 Lisa debuted with One-Track Mind, a collection of 10 striking originals that was quickly
snapped up by blues and alt.country radio and drew praise from Country Weekly and
Belgian online magazines Rootsville.be and Rootstime.be. The album’s success soon had
her appearing at the House of Blues and other top clubs.
Produced by Rich McCulley (Sparklejet, the Meadows), Neon Lights also features drummer
DJ Bonebrake (X, the Knitters), pianist Carl Byron (Michelle Shocked, Anne McCue),
bassists Todd Connelly (Phoebe Snow, Billy Squier), Greg Boaz (Dave Alvin) and Taras
Prodaniuk (Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakum). “Lisa’s music is a blend of Texas storytelling,
Stonesy rock ’n’ roll, and a splash of Lucinda Williams,” says McCulley. “It’s all in there.”
It certainly is. As any lover of well-crafted, honestly played songs will eagerly agree. With
Neon Lights, Lisa Sheppard reminds us once again her future is bright indeed.
www.LisaSheppardMusic.com
