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My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby – nothing more.

Bonnie Raitt

When you love a song so much you have to sing, you know how you feel – it releases something in you that resonates as true, whether it’s James Brown or Joni Mitchell.
BONNIE RAITT

Brown Feel Resonates Song True
I finally learned to accept that I can’t make radio play blues any more than I could get Reagan out of the White House.
BONNIE RAITT

House Play White
Elvis might have compromised his musical style a bit towards the end, but that doesn’t mean that artists from the rock n’ roll/folk-roots culture – of which he was not really a part – shouldn’t get better as they get older, like the great jazz or blues artists.
BONNIE RAITT

Artist Great Mean Musical Rocks Style
I have a really full life, both within music and outside it.
BONNIE RAITT

Full Life Music Outside Really
In blues, classical and jazz, you get more revered with age.
BONNIE RAITT

Age Classical Jazz More
I think that we have a unique opportunity as performers and artists to be kind of the town criers and also to get more people to listen, so that’s a blessing and a responsibility that I take very seriously.
BONNIE RAITT

Artist Blessing Responsibility
We did a two month tour with Taj Mahal that was really healing and cathartic and a good distraction after my brother passed away. Then I knew I wanted to take a year off, and it was really nice to have that chance to fall apart.
BONNIE RAITT

Brother Fall Knew Nice Off Year
I’m happy to have been a positive influence.
BONNIE RAITT

Influence Positive Influence
There’s a balance between ballads and kick-ass songs.
BONNIE RAITT

Ass Ballads Between Difference Kick Songs
Whatever role we were in our family of birth, we take on this persona and in your 20s and 30s in particular, you end up thinking that’s you and that isn’t necessarily you.
BONNIE RAITT

Birth Roles Thinking
I just play the music that I love with musicians that I respect, and fortunately, I’m in a position where people are willing to play with me, and perhaps I can do something to help them.
BONNIE RAITT

Fortunately Musician People Play
The consolidation of the music business has made it difficult to encourage styles like the blues, all of which deserve to be celebrated as part of our most treasured national resources.
BONNIE RAITT

Celebrated Encourage Made Resources Style
It can unite kids and musicians, everybody, whether they’re leftist or rightist, or radical, or Republican, because energy is energy. But in fact, it is a real political struggle – it shows people that it’s big business against the people.
BONNIE RAITT

Energy Radical Real Republican Struggle
I don’t want to discredit people’s opinions of me, but you talk about the violin or the cello or lead guitar where you have to learn tons of chords, that’s much more difficult.
BONNIE RAITT

Guitar People Want
The one thing I know is that if you’re not paying attention, it will come back to bite you.
BONNIE RAITT

Attention Bites Knows
Whether you’re playing it on the guitar or on the dance floor, you’re in that moment.
BONNIE RAITT

Dance Floor Guitar Movement Playing

My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby – nothing more.

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My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby – nothing more.

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Popular Authors

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