Author Archives: Annie

BONNIE RAITT ON WHAT SHE THINKS OF THAT CHARLI XCX SAMPLE [Rolling Stone (Exclusive)]

29 October 2024

“It’s been a remarkable blooming time for me,” says Raitt, whose songs like “Nick of Time” are finding a younger audience thanks to samples and live covers

By DAVID BROWNE
OCTOBER 28, 2024

One of the year’s least expected samples on a record started with an email. A few months ago, Bonnie Raitt received a note from Bon Iver auteur Justin Vernon. Raitt was already familiar with Vernon, especially after he covered her 1991 standard “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” with a bit of “Nick of Time” tacked on, a dozen years back. This time, Vernon was circling back to the latter song, but in a very different way.

As Raitt recalls, “Justin said, ‘I’m working with this artist you may or may not know,’” and that said artist, as Raitt remembers him saying, “had written a song about being cognizant of maybe running out of time, and thinking about having a baby, and is this the right time, and how that impacts her? And he said, ‘I turned her on to your music, and we really would like to use part of ‘Nick of Time.’” Raitt’s 1989 song, which launched her comeback, addressed similar heavy and personal issues.

Luckily for Vernon, Raitt was already familiar with the artist in question — Charli XCX — and thought the idea was, in her word, “fantastic.” Vernon sent her a link to a nearly finished track, “I Think About It All the Time,” which uses the featherbed sonics of “Nick of Time” as a foundation for a more beat-heavy track showcasing Charli’s vocals (“I think about it all the time/That I might run out of time/But I finally met my baby/And a baby might be mine”). “It’s hard to know exactly which parts they used,” says Raitt of what is likely the first time anyone has sampled any of her records. “It mostly sounds like her, but it has a different tone to it, and I know there’s one isolated part of my voice. But they did a really artful job — I was very honored.”

LISTEN TO “I Think About It All the Time”:
https://youtu.be/K3D8_Mc3XTI

The Charli track, which wound up on her new remix record, Brat and It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat, isn’t just a one-off. You’ve probably heard of the so-called “Joni Mitchell Renaissance,” in which the legend is being discovered by a new generation. So, is the Charli track the latest of many signs that we’re heading for, well, a Raittaissance? “I’m just a working musician,” Raitt says. “But it’s been a remarkable blooming time for me.”

If the current Raitt moment had a launch date, it was probably early last year at the Grammy Awards. In the show’s pre-telecast, Raitt walked away with awards for American Roots Song and Americana Performance. She assumed her trophies would end there, especially since her self-penned “Just Like That” was up for Song of the Year alongside tunes by Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Adele, Harry Styles, and Beyoncé, among others. But to Raitt’s — and the world’s — astonishment, presenter Jill Biden announced the winner was, in fact, Raitt. Her face, live on TV, registered utter and genuine disbelief. “She didn’t even read my name,” Raitt recalls. “She read the name of the song. I just went into hyper-shock.”

What the world didn’t see, or hear, was that on the way up to the stage, Raitt cupped her hands over her mouth and said, to herself, “Can you fucking believe this?” As she admits now, “I didn’t want to be filmed on camera [saying that], but I had to say it to somebody, so I said it into my hand.”

Theories about the upset victory include the possibility that Swift, Adele, and Beyoncé all split the vote. Raitt herself doesn’t disagree; in her mind, it’s akin to Nick of Time nabbing Album of the Year in 1989 when, she says, “Henley, Tom Petty and the Traveling Wilburys canceled each other out.”

LISTEN TO “Nick of Time”:
https://youtu.be/ztkpEJOJGDI

On the way to the podium, Raitt says she looked at the nearby tables and saw the other nominees clapping for her. Afterwards, Swift approached her. “I don’t remember the exact quote, but it was something like, ‘I didn’t mind losing to you,’” Raitt says. “That was great.” (What wasn’t so wonderful was a Daily Mail headline that called Raitt an “Unknown Blues Singer.” “They corrected it within 24 hours,” she says. “But it was pretty funny to have this many Grammys and hit records and still be ‘unknown.’”)

In the time since, the Raittaissance has continued. More covers of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin) have tumbled out. The most prominent right now is by way of Maggie Rogers, who occasionally slips it into one of her arena shows and calls it “one of my favorite Bonnie Raitt songs.” Jack Antonoff and Jack Harlow have both told Raitt they’ve heard compliments about the drum sounds on her older records and that she shouldn’t be surprised if more acts approach her for a sample.

And in December, Raitt will join the Grateful Dead, Francis Ford Coppola, and jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval as recipients of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, one of the country’s most prestigious arts awards. Raitt has attended the Kennedy Center ceremony before, helping honor Buddy Guy and Mavis Staples, and she and her father, Broadway singer John Raitt, attended the very first ceremony, in 1978, when the likes of Fred Astaire and Richard Rodgers were honored; Raitt still remembers being in awe of seeing Astaire in person.

Raitt says she wasn’t told why she qualified for the award. (“Can you believe it?” Bob Weir wrote to her the same day, with similar disbelief), but her induction, scheduled for Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C., is the latest sign that the music she and the Dead championed is now part of American music history.

“Back then, if someone had said that they’d be giving Kennedy Center Honors to me and the Dead — are you kidding?” she laughs. “It’s not that we’re the establishment. It’s just that the culture can hold us all in. You can be somebody as different and uncommercial as the Grateful Dead or me. It’s not like I’m stomping down the mainstream Billboard chart. But I guess I’ve reached some sort of legacy status.” A source offered to tell Raitt who would be performing her songs that night, but she says she declined, wanting it to be a surprise.

As for her Charli XCX moment, Raitt has yet to meet the woman who is putting her music in front of an entirely different group of listeners. But she’s planning on sending a thank-you note shortly. “She’s pretty smart and passionate about her music,” Raitt says, “and she has certain humility I found charming. I really admire her, as I do Billie Eilish and Olivia [Rodrigo] and Taylor. They’re handling their fame in such an incredible way for such young women. They’re very self-aware. A lot of times people run off the rails with drugs, or lose their money, or sign up with a Svengali manager who steers them wrong or takes too much of their income. But this crop of young women, and Beyoncé too, have a lot of class and a lot of independence, and they’ve learned from the mistakes of those people that went on before.”

All around her, Raitt is seeing a raft of farewell tours by members of her generation. But stopping doesn’t appear to be in her cards; she’s about to start the southern leg of her latest tour and has festivals lined up for 2025. “I don’t think Aerosmith stopped because they wanted — they had lead-singer problems, like with Huey Lewis,” she says. “So heartbreaking. But my dad toured until he was 85 and now I’m up there with BB and Willie and Mick and Keith and Tony Bennett. I’m going to keep going, even if I have to come out in a walker or electric motorbike. The only reason my dad stopped,” she says with a light chuckle, “is because most of his audience passed away.”

So maybe the younger artists who admire her will bring in fans who will, shall we say, live a little longer? “Well, luckily, there are people like Charli and Justin who are making me relevant,” Raitt says. “When I started, I was idolizing my heroes like Sippie Wallace, Muddy Waters, and Judy Collins, and now I get to be revered like they were. I’ll take it, and wear it with pride.”

Courtesy of Rolling Stone

Link To Article

Asheville concert rescheduled, Benefit concert in Charlotte added on November 20th

21 October 2024

Due to the devastation of the Asheville area from Hurricane Helene, Bonnie Raitt’s November 20th concert at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium will be rescheduled to April 23, 2025.  Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled show date and refunds will be offered until January 31, 2025.

To support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene struggling in the wake of the storm, Raitt and her band will hold a benefit concert on November 20th at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC. All net proceeds from the concert will be donated to non-profit organizations aiding communities as they try to clean up and rebuild their lives so tragically impacted by this natural disaster. “Our hearts break for the devastated communities whose immeasurable pain and hardship continues. With our partners at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC and our promoter Allen Corbett with AEG Presents, we are coming together to donate all we can from the event to support these crucial relief efforts,” Raitt said.     

Funds raised will help organizations that are on the ground in the impacted areas including the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina which distributes grants to front-line nonprofits engaged in relief efforts in 18 counties of Western NC. The Foundation’s administrative fees are waived so that every dollar goes directly to assistance. https://cfwnc.org/initiatives/hurricane-helene-relief-and-recovery

The benefit concert at Ovens comes in the middle of Raitt’s Fall 2024 headlining concert tour that started on the West Coast in September and October and will make stops in Houston, New Orleans, several cities in the Southeast and Florida throughout November to wind up the year. In early December, Raitt will be celebrated at the 47th Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. for her lifetime of artistic achievements. She will join the class of honorees this year that includes acclaimed director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; legendary American rock band the Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bobby Weir); jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which will receive a special Honors as an iconic American institution. The 47th annual Kennedy Center Honors will air on the CBS Television Network on Monday, December 23rd and will stream on Paramount+.

Performing with his band, Special Guest James Hunter known for delivering electrifying live performances with his authentic brand of rhythms and blues, will be supporting Raitt on the entire Fall tour including joining her to raise funds at the concert November 20th. About opening for Bonnie Raitt, Hunter says, “We’re very much looking forward to kicking off the night for the great Bonnie Raitt, so bring your dancing shoes and we’ll get you warmed up for a memorable evening of live music.”

Tickets for the November 20th benefit concert at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC will go on Fan Presale tomorrow, Tuesday October 22nd at 10am local time and will go on sale to the general public Friday October 25th at 10am local time via www.bonnieraitt.com.

To participate in the Fan Presales and Special Benefit Seat sales, please log in or register for Bonnie’s FREE Fan Community and head to the tour page! https://www.bonnieraitt.com/members/

Please contact your point of purchase regarding refunds for the rescheduled Asheville, NC concert by January 31, 2025 and as mentioned above tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled show at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on April 23, 2025.

JUST LIKE THAT…’ 2024 TOUR DATES

With Special Guest James Hunter

06-Nov             Houston, TX                The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts 
08-Nov             New Orleans, LA         Saenger Theatre
09-Nov             Huntsville, AL             Von Braun Center 
11-Nov             Nashville, TN              Opry House 
13-Nov             Charleston, WV           The Clay Center 
15-Nov             Roanoke, VA               Berglund Performing Arts Theatre 
16-Nov             Norfolk, VA                 Chrysler Hall 
19-Nov             Durham, NC                DPAC 
20-Nov            Charlotte, NC             Ovens Auditorium  
22-Nov             Jacksonville, FL          Moran Theatre At Jacksonville Performing Arts Center 
23-Nov             Clearwater, FL            Ruth Eckerd Hall 
25-Nov             West Palm Beach, FL  Kravis Center for the Performing Arts 

Full list of 2024 tour dates including Fan Pre-sale and Special Benefit Seat information is listed at www.bonnieraitt.com.

Link To Article

Bonnie contributes a track to new benefit album, Better Than Jail (out now!)

4 October 2024

Bonnie has contributed a new recording of “Prison Bound Blues” written by Leroy Carr to a project called Better Than Jail, an extraordinary new album benefiting Free Hearts and Equal Justice USA. Better Than Jail is available everywhere today and features covers of iconic prison songs from Steve Earle, Taj Mahal, Margo Price, The War & Treaty and many more. The album seeks to raise awareness and support for the urgent need to reduce the harm of the criminal justice system.

“I’m so proud to have joined in with so many illustrious artists in creating this very special album in support of rural prison reform. Overlooked for far too long, this issue cuts across all cultural and political divides and deserves all our focused attention to finally bring about some swift and meaningful action. Better Than Jail is one of the most inspired and heartfelt albums I’ve been blessed to be a part of and I hope it sets a fire in hearts far and wide to join in our efforts.” – Bonnie Raitt

LISTEN HERE: https://found.ee/BetterThanJail

Link To Article

Bonnie interviewed for The Road To Joni/SHEROES Radio

13 September 2024

In Episode 2 of The Road To Joni, host Carmel Holt tells Bonnie that her own road to Joni began with cassettes of Blue and Bonnie’s 1974 album Streetlights. Bonnie talks about redefining what it’s like to have a vital, vibrant artistic career well into your later years and how Judy Collins’ version of “Both Sides Now” sparked her road to Joni. Bonnie shares that her version of “That Song About The Midway” holds a very special meaning for her, including performing the song in Joni’s living room at one of the Joni Jams.

EP2 of the podcast drops Friday, September 13 at https://www.sheroesradio.com/roadtojoni and the radio hour will air across our affiliate radio station network beginning Saturday, September 14.

Link To Article

On the passing of Tom Campbell…

26 August 2024

With great sadness, we mark the passing of one of the most important people in our activist musicians community, Tom Campbell. For over 50 years, Tom and his wonderful team at Avocado Productions and The Guacamole Fund have organized and produced over 1200 benefit concerts, rallies and receptions for a wide range of wonderful issues from No Nukes, to environmental protection and justice, women’s, human and Native American rights and peace. There is no one who has done more to raise funds and awareness than Tom. I’ve included a link to his obit here so you can appreciate in detail his amazing life and contributions. He was a dear friend and I’ll miss and be grateful for him always. Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Smoky, son Grady and all the family. — Bonnie

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/thomas-campbell-obituary?id=56093648

http://www.guacfund.org

Link To Article

13 August 2024

So great to get to hang with Nancy Wilson at her lovely home, where we were interviewed for a film about Steve Cropper, one of the greatest guitarists, songwriters and producers of all time. I feel so lucky to call him a friend. Can’t wait to see the film when it’s finished! — Bonnie

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Announcing Bonnie’s first performance of 2025 at TTB Sun, Sand & Soul Weekend!

30 July 2024

Bonnie and her band will headline Friday, May 2, 2025 at Tedeschi Trucks Band Sun, Sand and Soul Beach Weekend! Join us in Miramar Beach, FL from May 1-3, 2025 for TWO performances from Tedeschi Trucks Band plus sets from Bonnie, Cory Wong, Los Lobos, The Wood Brothers, and more!

Sign up for the presale NOW at the link below to be among the first to secure priority access to your dedicated cove and take advantage of early bird pricing! https://sunsandsoul.topeka.live/

PRESALE SIGN UP WINDOW:
Tuesday, July 30 at 2 pm ET to Sunday, August 4 at 11:59 pm ET

GUEST PRESALE BOOKINGS:
Wednesday, August 7 and Thursday, August 8

GENERAL ON SALE:
Friday, August 9 at 12 pm ET

Link To Article

Reverb at 20!

25 July 2024

Last month, Reverb’s Co-Executive Directors and Founders Lauren Sullivan and Adam Gardner of Guster, reconnected with Bonnie at her concert in Portland, ME. In 2004, Adam and Lauren — concerned about the environmental impact of music tours — decided to make a change for the better. Having heard about Bonnie’s Green Highway campaign, they called Bonnie’s manager to find out more. Bonnie and her manager took Adam and Lauren on as a project of their ARIA Foundation mentoring their start-up until REVERB was able to launch as their own 501c3 organization. We are so proud of the incredible impact REVERB has made on the touring industry over the past 20 years, working with a range of musicians, festivals and venues to engage fans to take environmental and social action.
To learn more about their work, visit https://reverb.org

Link To Article
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