I have loved, passionately, all things Bonnie Raitt since my early 20s.

The first Bonnie album I ever owned, an actual record, was “Home Plate”. I listened to it so many times that it eventually began to bump and crackle. Didn’t matter – I knew the entire album by heart.

It’s unclear to me if I actually knew she was predominantly a blues artist. It was years before I realized she wrote many of her own songs. None of that really mattered to me one way or another. 

When my best friend and I turned 21, within 12 days of each other, we took the ubiquitous road trip to California in my then boyfriend’s ancient VW van. “Home Plate” was one of the 4 cassette tapes we brought along. We listened to it endlessly. I honestly have no recollection of what the other 3 even were.

After all these years, that album, and Bonnie, are frequent visitors to my kitchen when I am cooking or tidying. They often appear in my very long airplane playlist, first built when the world was different, and I spent hours each month on long, sleepless flights to Europe or Japan.

David Crosby described Bonnie Raitt as his favourite singer of all time (appreciating that Crosby has experienced enough reputational damage to weaken the value of his opinion). B.B. King called her the “best damn slide player working today”. Not bad for someone who taught herself how to play guitar and began her slide training with an empty aspirin bottle.

I cannot recall exactly how many times we have seen Bonnie Raitt in concert… 4? 5? Maybe more. I booked our tickets before the pandemic. The show date changed several times in the intervening 3-4 years. Finally, the date arrived and I could not wait! I had sprung for excellent seats, row 3 at the QE, rather than my typically more modest back-of-the-orchestra or mezzanine seats. No regrets.

Bonnie has typically been accompanied by her long-time band mates; this year’s crew was mostly different. Although the bass player has been with her for 40 years, the drummer, percussionist, guitarist and keyboard player (from Winnipeg!) were much newer.

She had an amazing setlist: blues, ballads, rock ‘n roll, old, new, and some 80’s Talking Heads for good measure. Her musical roots are so diverse: John Prine (if you haven’t heard “Angel”, go have a listen), Muddy Waters, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Elmore James, Ry Cooder, John Lee Hooker, and especially B..B King. The list is long. Over the years I have looked up and listened to a number of those artists; I want to hear what she hears.

Of course there are always songs from her latest album. (She has 18 studio albums at last count. I have all of them.) And lots of familiar music shows up from the albums that finally made her a household name in the 90’s like “Nick of Time” or “Something to Talk About”.

One of my personal favourites is the ballad, “I Can’t Make You Love me”. Bonnie has sung it at every one of the concerts I have attended. Is there a personal message for someone out there?

Every member of the mostly over 50 crowd swayed, crooned and probably recalled times in their lives when that song was deeply personal. to them It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.

I had read that Prince was the first to record this song. As amazing as he is, I simply do not appreciate his version as much; too polished. George Michael has a surprisingly simply, quiet version that is quite lovely. There are others. I haven’t found anything with the rawness that Bonnie Raitt brings.

I fall in love with this song every time I hear it. It is on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time for a reason.

“Just Like That” won the Grammy for best song last year. The song is based on the true story of a mother visited by the man who is the recipient of her son’s transplanted heart. It is touching and heartfelt, as are so many of her songs. (I was a bit sad about the title choice. Sadly, it mentally connects me to the Sex and The City reboot. I have actually watched it, with a mix of comfortable familiarity – all those clothes! and regret at some of the superficially PC story lines.

Through it all, Bonnie is chatty and funny and engages in banter with the audience. There were several humourous references to “The Clown” running for president again and some more serious commentary on the crazy happenings in the US right now. It all feels a little bit like we are hanging out together in someone’s living room.

Bonnie Raitt is 74 years young this year and still going strong. She has been performing for more than 50 years. May she play on for many more.

Two and half hours flew by. I imagine we will go again. and get the good seats.