On Friday, Sept. 6, the Findlay Toyota Center played host to one of the most influential musicians of her time, Bonnie Raitt.
Raitt, who is a critically acclaimed roots and blues musician who mixes a bit of rock, folk and country into her playing style, dazzled the just over 4,000 people who were lucky enough to catch her that night with a set list of 17 songs in total.
The opener for the night, a British band called The James Hunter Six, came on stage and played its mix of traditional blues mixed with a bit of 2Tone, old classic Rock ‘n’ Roll, a hint of funk and soul, and a dash of all-around good times to an audience that, for the most part, had never heard of the self-proclaimed busker and his backing band. They left the audience dancing in their seats.
Hunter, who has been in the music industry for more than 30 years, came out with a joke to help liven up the room by saying, “This is where they all told us to be, right here in Prescott Valley. And I mean EVERYONE in England told us to get out and come here…”, and from that point the audience was his.
As the set ended, and the final stragglers found their seats before the lights dimmed and the headlining act for the night took the stage, there was a brief conversation with Raitt’s lighting engineer. I had the chance to ask him what it was like to do lights for her, what each night involved, and he responded that it was an honor to be able to work for her.
He said Raitt has about 60 songs that she can pull from every night for a concert, which makes each show a special and individual experience all onto itself. He stated that the set list that is made up every night is more of a guideline of what COULD be played, but that his earpiece was directly linked to Raitt’s and her guitarist so he knew of any sudden changes to the set, which happened more often than one might think.
And because of this, her set lists are heavily guarded.
This proved to be true on this night, as Raitt and her backing band on their fourth song of the night where she announced that she had changed her mind for the opening night of this leg of her tour and wanted to play John Hiatt’s “Thing Called Love.” She also later changed the set list around and introduced the song “Blame it on Me.”
Throughout the night, Raitt talked about her newest single, “Made Up Mind,” off of her 2022 album (and 21st studio album, Just Like That), as well as celebrating 40 years with her bassist and drummer. She also talked about the altitude and how she hiked Goldwater Lake.
By the end of the show, everyone in attendance was on their feet giving the multi-Grammy winning artist a full-hearted ovation.
Her set included the following songs, as a full setlist was not available for this show: I Sho Do (The Bluerunners cover); God was in the Water (Randall Brambiett cover); Thing Called Love (John Hiatt cover); Blame it on Me; Hear Me Lord (Oliver Mtukudzi cover); Million Miles; Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About; Angel from Montgomery (a John Prine cover) and more.
The renowned, award-winning guitarist and singer transfixed a sold-out crowd at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday night. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
As always, Bonnie Raitt can sing like an angel and play the slide guitar like nobody’s business.
From the opening bars of “I Sho Do,” the 74-year-old singer had Wednesday’s sold-out crowd at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Amphitheater in the palm of her hand.
Perfectly at ease fronting her band of stellar musicians, she delivered her own hits and songs by artists she admires in her sometimes velvety, sometimes raspy voice and almost always accompanying herself masterfully on guitar.
What’s remarkable about Raitt, besides the fact that age has not slowed her down one bit, is her generosity in sharing the music of artists much less famous than her. Take “Made Up Mind,” a lovable, rootsy tune written by a band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Bros. Landreth. Not only did she pluck it from relative obscurity for her live shows, but she also won a Grammy Award for her cover in 2023.
“Hear Me Lord,” a joyful petition to “whoever is going to get us out of pain and dissension in this country,” was written by the late Zimbabwean singer Oscar Mtukudzi. In Raitt’s capable hands, the song unfurls as a lament that gives way to hope in the divine.
Her voice exuded grief when Raitt sang her classic rendition of late friend John Prine’s song, “Angel From Montgomery.” Fans could hear how much she missed him in her reverent, devoted delivery. “I love him, too,” she said after fans cheered the song.
Perhaps the most moving moment came when Raitt sang “Just Like That,” which won her Song of the Year at the 2023 Grammy Awards. This heartrending song explores the story of a mother who hears her late son’s heartbeat in his organ recipient’s chest. It was, Raitt says, inspired by Prine’s death in 2020 from COVID-19.
The ever-graceful artist knows how to keep things from getting too sad, though. In her return to the venue that she last played in 2016, she praised the venue to the skies — for its lush gardens and sculptures, and even the food she ate before performing.
Fans enthusiastically greeted her beloved songs, with “Something to Talk About” and “Love Letter” at the top of the list.
By the time she crooned “I Can’t Make You Love Me” in the encore, the air had cooled but the crowd was still warmly responsive. “Maybe I’ll be like Mick (Jagger) and Taj (Mahal) and (other older artists who continue to tour),” she wondered out loud. “Maybe I’ll be back out here, keeping the music going.”
Opening for Raitt was the rockabilly/soul/blues band James Hunter & The Six from Essex, England.
With a leathery voice reminiscent of James Brown or Ray Charles, Hunter gustily sang lead vocals. He and his band, whose instruments included saxophone, double bass and organ, got things swinging with the “Okie Dokie Stomp” and paid homage to The Five Royales and their Carolina Soul sound with a smooth cover of “Baby Don’t Do It.”
Lorilee Craker is a veteran writer and author of “Money Secrets of the Amish,” “Through the Storm” with Lynne Spears, and “My Journey to Heaven” with Marv Besteman.
Bonnie Raitt upholds her timeless talent, enduring appeal at MGM Fenway
Story by Marc Hirsh
Bonnie Raitt was 40 when she became a star. It was central to her origin myth; she’d already lived a lifetime or two, both personally and professionally, before 1989′s “Nick of Time” hit No. 1 and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. People simply don’t become pop stars at that stage in their lives, but Raitt did, and the 74-year-old singer and guitarist who sold out the MGM Music Hall at Fenway Saturday night was perfectly at ease in her skin and in her music.
She had cause to be. Her voluminous red hair, with its attendant white streak, may or may not get outside assistance these days. Still, Raitt’s two other trademarks — her authoritative rasp and her masterful slide guitar playing — can’t be faked, and they both remained stunningly undiminished by the years. Caressing her voice around the self-flagellating “Blame It on Me” with gorgeous, bluesy skill before slipping into the slow glide of her solo, she made the song as sexy as if she’d recorded it half a century ago.
Raitt place, Raitt time
Bonnie Raitt can’t be summed up easily. Some people might view her as a sassy blues singer, some as a no-nonsense social activist, and some as an observant balladeer who writes deeply serious songs such as “Nick of Time” (a 1990 Grammy winner about a woman wanting to get pregnant before it’s too late) and “Just Like That,” a stunning track about a heart transplant survivor that won a Grammy last year for song of the year. It turns out, of course, that Raitt is all of the above and more.
Ironically, for a setlist that touched on her pre-”Nick of Time” career once, a number of songs sounded like they could have played on the radio in the late 1970s next to the likes of Boz Scaggs, from the simmering bump of “Made Up Mind” to the blues-funk of “Used to Rule the World.” Toots Hibbert’s “Love So Strong,” meanwhile, had elements of reggae (the watery organ, the guitar chop) but wasn’t played that way, thanks largely to drummer Ricky Fataar opting instead for a subtle roll.
Following their boss’s lead, Raitt’s four-piece band rarely opted for fireworks, but the ease that they demonstrated never read as laziness or disinterest. Instead, it was more like slipping comfortably into well-worn boots. “Million Miles” sneaked around with a lopsided shuffle that became more and less forceful throughout, as if it were occasionally holding its breath. The band radiated joy with the clean guitar pings of Zimbabwean musician Oliver Mtukudzi’s “Hear Me Lord.” (Raitt was consistently generous about crediting her songs’ writers and original artists.) And they played with a feather touch that reinforced the gentle heartbreak of “Just Like That.”
So did a sympathetic vocal from Raitt, whose most affecting singing came with words and melodies that she could wrap her voice gently around. Half-speaking many of the lyrics, she floated atop the delicate and airy “Angel From Montgomery”; she never pushed on “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” letting each note land softly but with great feeling, the blues in feel and topic if not in actual sound. It was her only song without an instrument in hand. And still, she had everything she could need.
Bonnie Raitt, with James Hunter
At: MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Saturday
What a great time was had by all on Saturday night at Bonnie’s sold out show at Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway. She was honored to have fellow soul rocker Peter Wolf at the show. Here’s a photo of them backstage after the show. Bonnie thanks all the fans, her band and crew, The James Hunter Six and their MGM hosts for a fantastic night! — BRHQ Photo by Duke Levine
About The Author
Marc Hirsh
Marc Hirsh lives in the Boston area, where he indulges in the magic trinity of improv comedy, competitive adult four square and music journalism. He has won trophies for one of these, but refuses to say which. He writes for the Boston Globe and has also been spotted on MSNBC and in the pages of Amplifier, the Nashville Scene, the Baltimore City Paper and Space City Rock, where he is the co-publisher and managing editor. He once danced onstage with The Flaming Lips while dressed as a giant frog. It was very warm.
Review & setlist: Bonnie Raitt was thrilled to be back in Boston Saturday, and it showed
By Peter Chianca June 16, 2024
In turns playful and heartbreaking, the blueswoman extraordinaire was in peak form at MGM Music Hall.
I wonder if Bruce Springsteen is ever a little bit jealous of Bonnie Raitt. After all, The Boss — who famously opened for Raitt 50 years ago in Harvard Square, on the night he was declared to be “Rock and Roll Future” — still seems to feel like he has to dominate the stage like a whirling dervish. Whereas his contemporary Bonnie, as she showed at MGM Music Hall Saturday, exudes every bit as much presence and command just standing center stage, baring her heart and soul through the slow burn of her startlingly expressive blues guitar licks.
Granted, the sold-out MGM crowd was clearly full of true believers — a prolonged standing ovation greeted Raitt as she took the stage, smiling beneath her trademark red coif with just a shock of gray. But the poise, warmth, and sheer musicianship of her 17-song set would likely have won over any random visitor who might have wandered in from the Red Sox game next door. (Yes, even a Yankee fan!)
Bonnie was clearly tickled at the idea of playing in such close proximity to the fabled ballpark, despite obvious concerns (“I was worried about you all finding a parking space,” she admitted, understandably), and to be in Boston in general: She even shouted out J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf (who was there), and senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren (who weren’t). Plus her band has its own local pedigree, with guitarist Duke Levine hailing from Worcester and bassist James “Hutch” Hutchinson having grown up in Somerville.
She also, in response to a particularly loud “We love ya, Bah-nie!,” shared her love for our local accent with a story of a regular Boston concert-goer who would yell, “Bah-nie, I want yah body!” “All of a sudden in my 50s it disappeared,” she playfully lamented. “Somewhere, wherever he is, I hope he still wants my body.”
As for the music, well, it was clear right from the bluesy opening bars of “I Sho Do” that at age 74, she hasn’t lost a step. Hitting the high notes with apparent ease, she’s also clearly reached the blues singer sweet spot of having just enough gravel in her voice to make the world-weary lyrics come across more expressively than ever. This was especially true on her acoustic cover of Bob Dylan’s swampy “Million Miles,” with her supple-but-never-syrupy vocals bringing more smoke than swamp to the proceedings. (Although it was still pretty swampy.)
Another thing pretty obvious from the get-go was that this probably wasn’t going to be a night about well-known songs and catchy hooks. But no matter: the second number, “God Was in The Water” from Raitt’s 2005 album “Soul Away” — a moody meditation on the general state of things in the world (not great) — was mesmerizing in the way it settled into a chugging blues vibe that wound up seeping through and carrying the whole night. (It’s worth noting that the first real “hit” of the show, 1991’s “Something To Talk About,” didn’t come until nine songs in.)
Raitt was clear to note that she didn’t write most of these songs, despite what you might read on the internet, but it’s always been her skills as a song stylist that’s set Bonnie apart. This is never truer than on “Angel from Montgomery,” which she dedicated to its author, the late John Prine: She noted that she’s been singing it since 1971, but its opening line — “I am an old woman, named after my mother, my old man is another child that’s grown old” — no doubt hits much harder now, for both her and us.
Raitt’s captured most of these interpretations on her records, but delivered live, songs like The Bros. Landreth’s “Made Up Mind” and “Blame It On Me” — a stunning torch song written for Raitt by John Capek and Andrew Matheson — feel even more moving and personal, full of pregnant pauses and tossed-off spoken lines that make them feel like intimate conversations. (Raitt ends “Blame” with a sad howl that simultaneously chills and thrills.)
Of course, if you doubt Raitt’s own song-writing bonafides, listening to some of the songs she did pen will dispel that notion pretty quick. Her Grammy-winning “Just Like That,” off of 2022’s album of the same name, was performed to reverent silence on the part of the Boston crowd, its themes of attaining grace and redemption inspiring palpable heartache and probably more than a few tears.
And “Nick of Time” — from the 1989 Album of the Year that provided Raitt with a late-career resurgence at the ripe old age of (checks notes) 39 (!) — was simply gorgeous Saturday, dedicated in honor of Father’s Day and with the lyrics about her parents changed poignantly to the past tense. (Raitt’s father, the Broadway star John Raitt, died in 2005.)
Through it all Raitt had some marvelous interplay with her talented band, most notably with her fellow guitarist Levine, whose more traditional rock chops combined perfectly with Raitt’s blues licks. And in one of the night’s absolute highlights, he plucked out bouncy African rhythms on Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi’s “Hear Me Lord,” a bouncy gospel song that Raitt turned into an uplifting singalong.
Given the relatively low-key vibe of the evening, I wouldn’t have minded if Raitt had brought things up a notch at the end. Still, who could blame her for instead starting her encore with a heart-rending take on maybe her most wrenching song, “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” But she segued from that into the mellow “Matters of the Heart,” which in lieu of something more upbeat made for a kind of sleepy slide to the finish. (Apparently Raitt hasn’t sung the raucous “Willya Wontcha” since 1992, which is a shame.)
Regardless, the R&B chug of “Never Make Your Move Too Soon” to close the show provided a suitably honky-tonk finish to a stellar night in Boston for a legendary blueswoman — and proved that she’s nowhere near done.
The show opened with a super-engaging set by the James Hunter Six, “also known as who the hell is that?” joked the group’s affable British frontman. But if you’re unfamiliar with their horn-driven, noir rockabilly stomp and old-fashioned R&B and soul, you should get to know them — they were a treat.
Setlist for Bonnie Raitt at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, June 15, 2024:
Peter Chianca, the general assignment editor for Boston.com, is a longtime news editor, columnist and music writer in the Greater Boston area. A Tufts University graduate, he’s the author of “Glory Days: Springsteen’s Greatest Albums,” and is co-creator of the comic strip “Pet Peeves” with artist Dave London. He’s been with Boston.com since 2019, where he handles daily news assignments, coordinates concert and celebrity coverage, and profiles local cartoonists and illustrators.
Bandana Blues is and will always be a labor of love. Please help Spinner deal with the costs of hosting & bandwidth. Visit www.bandanablues.com and hit the tipjar. Any amount is much appreciated, no matter how small. Thank you.
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 and 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. https://found.ee/BetterThanJail.
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
Released on: 2024-10-04 Executive Producer: Brian Hunt Producer: Kenny Greenberg Producer: Wally Wilson Producer: Bonnie Raitt Recording Engineer: Jason Lehning at Sound Emporium Mastering Engineer: Alex McCollough at True East Mastering Production Assistant: Shannon Finnegan Mixer: Justin Niebank at Hounds Ear Music Publisher: Universal Music Corp. Composer, Lyricist: Leroy Carr ℗ Believe Entertainment Group and Wyatt Road Records
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/xC2BJuQbO8w/hqdefault.jpg
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Nothing in Rambling Ft. Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo' & Mick Fleetwood
In celebration of the band’s 50th Anniversary, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have just released Struck Down, their first studio album in eight years on Stony Plain Records. The ten-track album includes a wonderful cover of Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing in Rambling,” featuring longtime friends, T-Birds founding member Kim Wilson, along with Bonnie, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal and Mick Fleetwood. — BRHQ
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/YmW-bgcbvQI/hqdefault.jpg
Little Feat - Long Distance Call
“I’ve always loved Little Feat and this new incarnation of the band is bringing some serious heat, cred and new blood to their enduring legacy. Every Feat fan loves us some Sam. I’m so glad he’s now gotten a chance to step out front and center and put his spin on these wonderful blues songs. I loved singing "Long Distance Call" with him, always one of my favorites, and Scott slayed on slide. Know you’ll enjoy hanging out with us at Sam’s Place!" -- Bonnie Raitt
“Long Distance Call” was written by blues legend, Muddy Waters. It has Sam Clayton and Bonnie Raitt on vocals, Scott Sharrard on Dobro, Fred Tackett on acoustic guitar, Tony Leone on drums, and Michael “The Bull” LoBue on harmonica. The album also features Bill Payne on piano and Kenny Gradney on bass.
Little Feat have composed an album that’s their love letter to the blues entitled, ‘Sam’s Place.’ “Long Distance Call” plus many other blues classics are on this album. You can stream and order ‘Sam’s Place’ here: https://orcd.co/samsplace
Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2, the anticipated new John Prine tribute record from Oh Boy Records, is out today. Stream/purchase HERE.
Created as a celebration of Prine’s life and career, the album features new renditions of some of Prine’s most beloved songs performed by Brandi Carlile (“I Remember Everything”), Tyler Childers (“Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You”), Iris DeMent (“One Red Rose”), Emmylou Harris (“Hello In There”), Jason Isbell (“Souvenirs”), Valerie June (“Summer’s End”), Margo Price (“Sweet Revenge”), Bonnie Raitt (“Angel From Montgomery”), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (“Pretty Good”), Amanda Shires (“Saddle in the Rain”), Sturgill Simpson(“Paradise”) and John Paul White (“Sam Stone”). Proceeds from the album will benefit twelve different non-profit organizations, one selected by each of the featured artists.
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/Z71L4JdrVBY/hqdefault.jpg
Bonnie Raitt - Write Me a Few of Your Lines/Kokomo Blues
60 years anniversary celebration of Arhoolie
December 10, 2020
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
Arhoolie Foundation celebrates it's 60th anniversary (1960-2020) with an online broadcast.
Bonnie Raitt - Shadow of Doubt
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
October 3, 2020
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass celebrates it's 20th anniversary with an online broadcast titled “Let The Music Play On”.
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/hCJa0505jZk/hqdefault.jpg
Bonnie Raitt & Boz Scaggs - You Don't Know Like I Know
Farm Aid 2020 On the Road
Sam & Dave classic written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter.
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/jXG6ULcK-qs/hqdefault.jpg
Sheryl Crow & Bonnie Raitt - Everything Is Broken
[Eric Clapton’s Crossroads 2019]
Eric Clapton, one of the world’s pre-eminent blues/rock guitarists, once again summoned an all-star team of six-string heroes for his fifth Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2019. Held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, the two-day concert event raised funds for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, the chemical dependency treatment and education facility that Clapton founded in 1998.
{{svg_quality_icon}}
{{quality-options}}
1
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/yHeBLEo4TOM/hqdefault.jpg
'A Tribute To Mose Allison'
Celebrates The Music Of An Exciting Jazz Master
Raitt contributed to a new album, If You're Going To The City: A Tribute To Mose Allison, which celebrates the late singer and pianist, who famously blended the rough-edged blues of the Mississippi Delta with the 1950s jazz of New York City.
NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to Bonnie Raitt about her friendship with the Mose Allison. They're also joined by Amy Allison — his daughter, who executive produced the album — about selecting an unexpected list of artists to contribute songs to the album.
Recorded on tour June 3, 2017 - Centennial Hall, London - Ontario Canada
Visitors Today : 1510
Now Online : 5
