Long before hits, a major label move, and Grammys made her more of a household name than her Broadway-musical-star father, John Raitt, my introduction to Bonnie brought about an unexpected response!
I’m going to one-up you on this one! Which just really means I’m older than you…
I met Bonnie at a small college in Pennsylvania before her first album came out. She was opening for John Sebastian. Well, it was all downhill for poor Sebastian. I mean, Bonnie tore the roof off that place! The only other time I remember an opening act totally cripple the headliner was when I saw an unknown Steve Forbert open for Nicolette Larson. Larson’s beauty and even her backup band, which basically consisted of Little Feat sans Lowell George, just paled in comparison.
Since, I have seen Bonnie numerous times and she is a national treasure. Loved your story!
Thanks, Floyd! I'm gonna guess that, if she was opening for a known recording star (Sebastian), she had already signed with Warner Bros, and was likely in the studio, days, or between wrapping the recording and waiting for release.
I've loved Forbert, too, since his first album! That Forbert/Larson gig sounds like a good un. There's a few of her records I liked, also. In fact, here's a look at her cover of "Nathan Jones" with a couple other covers made throughout the years:
I was surprised to look up the Bellaire High School (Houston) website this week, and discover what a massive enterprise the TPP looks to be today! And, still being called "The Three Penny Press," too! I think I'll see if I can find a way to send 'em a link to this post! They might find it enlightening, and grateful that it won't leave 'em with purple fingers!
Hi Brad: The other night during a Mets game, announcer Gary Cohen made a reference to the smell of mimeograph paper. My nostrils caught the whiff of memory: oh, that smell. Two facts and a deadline equalling a trend, as I was taught as a young reporter, I guess we can say that mimeograph is trending!
🤣That's hilarious, Wayne! I say we hop on that bad boy, and ride that mimeograph wave all the way to shore! We appear to have an opening! As Paul mentioned here, as well, all us Bedrock-ers can join Fred and Wilma, and certainly pool our memories of purple fingers and uniquely pungent smell! The kids today just can't imagine! Great to hear from you, Wayne!🎼😊✌
She's amazing, Paul! As you're filling in your knowledge of this wonderful singer/songwriter/guitarist, know that she's been a loud and supportive voice for the Blues legends of the past, most of them still living, and virtually all of them taken advantage of by the record industry scoundrels of the '40s and '50s.
For this high-school-aged upper-middle-class suburban white boy in the early '70s, her early records made me love her brand of blues, and taught me a lot about the more rootsy folk rockers of the time whom she loved to cover so much, like John Prine, Libby Titus, and Eric Kaz.
I've always loved her warm, friendly voice, and it was a pleasure to have her mistake me for ANY kind of law enforcement for three seconds a half-century ago! In short, Paul, she's fabulous! Her '80s Capitol Records hit-era is fine, but do yourself a favor, and give an aural trundle through her '70s Warner Bros. albums!🎼🎸😎👍
I’m going to one-up you on this one! Which just really means I’m older than you…
I met Bonnie at a small college in Pennsylvania before her first album came out. She was opening for John Sebastian. Well, it was all downhill for poor Sebastian. I mean, Bonnie tore the roof off that place! The only other time I remember an opening act totally cripple the headliner was when I saw an unknown Steve Forbert open for Nicolette Larson. Larson’s beauty and even her backup band, which basically consisted of Little Feat sans Lowell George, just paled in comparison.
Since, I have seen Bonnie numerous times and she is a national treasure. Loved your story!
Thanks, Floyd! I'm gonna guess that, if she was opening for a known recording star (Sebastian), she had already signed with Warner Bros, and was likely in the studio, days, or between wrapping the recording and waiting for release.
I've loved Forbert, too, since his first album! That Forbert/Larson gig sounds like a good un. There's a few of her records I liked, also. In fact, here's a look at her cover of "Nathan Jones" with a couple other covers made throughout the years:
https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/inside-tracks-14-nathan-jones-kathy
Enjoy.........and, thanks for dropping in and commenting, Floyd! You're welcome anytime, FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE!
Mimeographs! That takes me back. I'm sure any reader of a certain age could smell this post!
I was surprised to look up the Bellaire High School (Houston) website this week, and discover what a massive enterprise the TPP looks to be today! And, still being called "The Three Penny Press," too! I think I'll see if I can find a way to send 'em a link to this post! They might find it enlightening, and grateful that it won't leave 'em with purple fingers!
Hi Brad: The other night during a Mets game, announcer Gary Cohen made a reference to the smell of mimeograph paper. My nostrils caught the whiff of memory: oh, that smell. Two facts and a deadline equalling a trend, as I was taught as a young reporter, I guess we can say that mimeograph is trending!
🤣That's hilarious, Wayne! I say we hop on that bad boy, and ride that mimeograph wave all the way to shore! We appear to have an opening! As Paul mentioned here, as well, all us Bedrock-ers can join Fred and Wilma, and certainly pool our memories of purple fingers and uniquely pungent smell! The kids today just can't imagine! Great to hear from you, Wayne!🎼😊✌
Boy, Bonnie Raitt can play a slide well! Never really listened to her before. *Opens Spotify...
PS: The Mimeograph machine was the introduction to my decades long career in the printing trade.
She's amazing, Paul! As you're filling in your knowledge of this wonderful singer/songwriter/guitarist, know that she's been a loud and supportive voice for the Blues legends of the past, most of them still living, and virtually all of them taken advantage of by the record industry scoundrels of the '40s and '50s.
Start here: https://blues.org/blues_hof_inductee/bonnie-raitt/
For this high-school-aged upper-middle-class suburban white boy in the early '70s, her early records made me love her brand of blues, and taught me a lot about the more rootsy folk rockers of the time whom she loved to cover so much, like John Prine, Libby Titus, and Eric Kaz.
I've always loved her warm, friendly voice, and it was a pleasure to have her mistake me for ANY kind of law enforcement for three seconds a half-century ago! In short, Paul, she's fabulous! Her '80s Capitol Records hit-era is fine, but do yourself a favor, and give an aural trundle through her '70s Warner Bros. albums!🎼🎸😎👍
You are a rock encyclopedia, Brad. I appreciate your knowledge!