Believe it or not, a blues-folk-rock-roots-soul-R&B-funk-country icon played in HPPR territory this week.

From as far back as I can remember, I’ve had a red-headed angel that would manifest in my periphery, fading in and out of my head like a car radio tuner on the rural backroads of the High Plains. When I’d hear the bleat of her bent strings or the raspy slide of a bottle up the neck of her seasoned guitar, I’d know I was in the presence of the music that made me think of my mom, made me think of home.

I’m pretty sure it all started when I saw her on The Midnight Special in 1977, but it definitely continued through the speakers of Francie’s twinkling taupe Pacer on rides to the community pool and the laundromat. But it was much later, as an adult, that I found her early albums and spent time with 70s feelies like “Thank You” and her classic blues covers like Sippie Wallace’s “You Got to Know How” – both so different but equally authentic as they pass through her. And that’s when I truly found a home in Bonnie Raitt’s music.

Maybe it’s because I’m a Gemini, but I find so much comfort in her contrast: the timeless crystal of the vocals, whipped and drizzled over the gritty groove of her masterful, snaking guitar. In a serious highlight of my 49 years, I had the honor and privilege of speaking with her in advance of her Amarillo show on Tuesday, March 11^th. Hear the full interview:

• HPPR - Jenny Inzerillo - Interview with Bonnie Raitt 3-10-2025

tip: most convenient way to listen while browsing along is to use the popup button of the player.

Get your tickets now for the upcoming show, and check out her tour schedule and details below.

Oh, and if you want to hear Jenny’s full-throated rendition of her parody song based on a Bonnie mega-hit, click here.

WHAT SHE’S BEEN UP TO: Bonnie has had a busy 2025 already with a performance at a tribute concert to Joan Baez in San Francisco on Feb 8th, that you can read about here.

And she also appeared on Saturday Night Live’s big 50th anniversary concert on Feb 14th, performing “Thing Called Love” with The Roots and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with Chris Martin of Coldplay on piano and The Roots backing them both.

In December, Bonnie was celebrated as a Kennedy Center honoree. It was wonderful and she was able to spend time with Deborah Rutter and David Bernstein, the former President and Board Chair of The Kennedy Center just ousted in February by President Trump.Many of Bonnie’s musician friends performed in her honor during the concert recorded for broadcast including Brandi Carlile, Keb’ Mo’, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Susan Tedeschi, Arnold McCuller, Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris! You can catch up on all of that here, and here’s the Kennedy Center program book (published Dec 2024).

And now Bonnie is on the road for her headlining tour that started in California and continues on Friday night in Phoenix before visiting Albuquerque Saturday night on their way to Amarillo for the show on Tuesday. And because she loves to tour, here are her upcoming shows for this year:

FULL LIST OF 2025 TOUR DATES!

March 5 Temecula, CA – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 7 Phoenix, AZ – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 7 Albuquerque, NM – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 11 Amarillo, TX – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 13 Tulsa, OK – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 15 Norman, OK – Special Guest Roy Rogers (solo)
March 16 Kansas City, MO – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
March 18 Springfield, MO – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
March 19 Wichita, KS – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
March 22 Lubbock, TX – Special Guest Johnny Nicholas (solo/duo)
March 23 Dallas, TX – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)

April 18 Lancaster, PA – Special Guest Larry John McNally (solo/duo)
April 19 Atlantic City, NJ – Special Guest Larry John McNally (solo/duo)
April 22  Richmond, VA – Special Guest Larry John McNally (solo/duo)
April 23  Asheville, NC – Special Guest Sarah Siskind (solo)
April 25  Wilkesboro, NC (MerleFest)
April 26  Savannah, GA – Special Guest Maia Sharp (solo)
April 29  Ft Lauderdale, FL – Special Guest Maia Sharp (solo)
April 30  Melbourne, FL – Special Guest Maia Sharp (solo)

May 2  Miramar Beach, FL (Sun Sand and Soul Festival)
May 6  Shreveport, LA – Special Guest Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentleman
May 7   Little Rock, AR – Special Guest Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentleman
May 9    Memphis, TN – Special Guest Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentleman
May 10  Louisville, KY – Special Guest Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentleman

OVERSEAS DATES:
01-June    Belfast,  UK Ulster Hall – Special Guest Martin Harley
03-June    Dublin, IE Vicar Street – Special Guest Martin Harley
04-June    Dublin, IE Vicar Street – Special Guest Martin Harley
07-June    Manchester, UK O2 Apollo Special – Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
08-June    Nottingham, UK Royal Concert Hall – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
10-June    Edinburgh, UK Usher Hall – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
11-June    Glasgow, UK Royal Concert Hall – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
14-June    Wolverhampton, UK Civic Hall – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
16-June    London, UK Royal Albert Hall – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)
17-June    Brighton, UK Brighton Dome – Special Guest Jon Cleary (solo)

With Special Guest JIMMIE VAUGHAN & THE TILT-A-WHIRL BAND –> from Texas, as you know!!August 20   Port Chester, NY The Capitol Theatre
August 22   Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
August 23   Canandaigua, NY CMAC
August 26  Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
August 28    Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheatre
August 30   Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
August 31   Lenox, MA Tanglewood (Fan Presale begins 2/5, public on sale 3/6)
Sept. 3        Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview Stage at SPAC
Sept. 5        Chautauqua, NY Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
Sept, 6        Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center at The Heights
Sept. 9        Chicago, IL The Chicago Theatre
Sept. 12        Cincinnati, OH The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Sept. 13        Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
Sept. 16        Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
Sept. 17        Green Bay, WI Weidner Center for the Performing Arts
Sept. 19        Bayfield, WI Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua (public on sale 2/11)
Sept. 20        Waite Park, MN The Ledge Amphitheater
Sept. 23        Omaha, NE The Astro Amphitheater
Sept. 25        Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Bonnie also played 60 concerts in the US in 2024, including a benefit concert in Carmel By-The-Sea, CA to raise funds for investigative journalism and protecting a free press, and another benefit concert in Charlotte, NC to raise funds for hurricane relief in North Carolina and Florida. You can check out her touring history going back to 1989 (although she started playing gigs in 1971) here on her website, as well as her benefit concert history here; this one goes all the way back to 1971!

Thank you, Bonnie, for the music, the inspiration, the activism and THE HOPE! See you on Tuesday night.

About The Author

Jenny Inzerillo

Music Director

Jenny Inzerillo joined HPPR in 2015 as the host of High Plains Morning, our live music program that airs weekdays at 9 am to noon CST. Broadcasting from KJJP in beautiful downtown Amarillo, she helps listeners wake up with inspired music from our region and beyond. Tune in for new voices in folk/Americana, deep cuts from your favorite artists, soulful tracks from singer/songwriters across the world, and toe-tapping classics dating as far back as the 1920s. Plus, discover underground greats that just might be your new favorite band.

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