black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

Bonnie Raitt

The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.
BONNIE RAITT

Art Class Cutting
I have been really heartened by how much coverage there has been about inequality of pay across the board, between the entertainment industry and almost every industry worldwide.
BONNIE RAITT

Boards Culture Entertainment World Worldwide
I learned by experience that you can change your circumstance. It’s as simple as the serenity prayer; it’s a very, very real thing.
BONNIE RAITT

Circumstances Prayer Real Simple
A lot of political music to me can be rather pedantic and corny, and when it’s done right – like Bruce Springsteen or Jackson Browne or great satire from Randy Newman, there’s nothing better.
BONNIE RAITT

Corny Done Political
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
Solar power is the last energy resource that isn’t owned yet – nobody taxes the sun yet.
BONNIE RAITT

Energy Lasts Sun
It is still a surprise when people tell me that I’ve had an influence on them, particularly when it’s someone I really respect.
BONNIE RAITT

Influence People Surprise
The talent on YouTube is incredible, and it can spread like wildfire. The downside is that it’s very hard to convince the younger generation that they should pay for music.
BONNIE RAITT

Convince Downside Incredible Music Talent
Even if the writers don’t get paid enough most of the time, unfortunately – but there’s never been a more amazing flow of information on all of the issues. I would love to see a revival of what we had against the war in the ’60s – we could do thes
BONNIE RAITT

Against Information Love Unfortunately
How I measure success is getting to make another record and being able to the come back to the same town and play again cause you sold out the last time.
BONNIE RAITT

Able Getting Play Records Time
I’m glad I get singled out for my slide guitar-playing, which isn’t that difficult to do. I didn’t take guitar lessons, but I just love the way it sounds, almost like the human voice.
BONNIE RAITT

Guitar Human Lessons Voice
And just the problem of young women not getting an education, not being able to have an equal position in the cultures all around the world.
BONNIE RAITT

Education Position Women World
How unthinkable that, in a country of such bursting plenty, so many people are facing ongoing hunger and poverty.
BONNIE RAITT

Country Garden School
The fact is that this conversation is going on at every level at every age, we’re all going, “God, what a jerk I’ve been,” “How could I have married that guy?” or “How could I have done this or that?” With time, this is the gift of being older, that you get to look back and say, “It wasn’t all about them.”
BONNIE RAITT

Age Best Guy Look Looks Married
I have a really full life, both within music and outside it.
BONNIE RAITT

Full Life Music Outside Really
You don’t have to look a certain way to have a hit record.
BONNIE RAITT

Looks Records Way
In blues, classical and jazz, you get more revered with age.
BONNIE RAITT

Age Classical Jazz More
I think my fans will follow me into our combined old age. Real musicians and real fans stay together for a long, long time.
BONNIE RAITT

Music Real Thinking
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
My love was Bob Dylan, but as I got older I realized a good ballad was a good ballad.
BONNIE RAITT

Ballads Bob Dylan
We can choose, you know, we ain’t no amoeba.
BONNIE RAITT

Adages Amoeba Knows
I made my first album, and I guess it wasn’t a fluke, because now I’m on my 16th.
BONNIE RAITT

Albums Firsts Flukes
In my early twenties, if I wasn’t getting good enough at it, then people would not come and see me. Anybody who has lasted this long – I hope we get better with age.
BONNIE RAITT

Age Better Enough Getting Good Longer
I think we have responsibilities to be active in the things we believe in, regardless of what our job is.
BONNIE RAITT

Believe Jobs Responsibility
I grew up in Los Angeles in a Quaker family, and for me being Quaker was a political calling rather than a religious one.
BONNIE RAITT

Calling Political Religious
I don’t know that I’m unique in that people relate to my music, but I would hope people would say that I’m honest and that I do the best work I can possibly do instead of coasting.
BONNIE RAITT

Honest People Unique
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

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Bonnie Raitt Quotes