At the age of eight, Bonnie Raitt asked her musically inclined parents for a guitar. Fortunately for us all, they obliged. From her humble days of teaching herself to play, Bonnie evolved into an artist that the great B.B. King once described as “the best damn slide player working today”—a description that is still absolutely true!

Bonnie grew up in Los Angeles in the 1950s. Immersed in the city’s cultural melting pot, she found herself caught up in the folk craze of the time, learning to play guitar by listening to her favorite folk albums over and over. She developed an appreciation for great music and lyrics, and loved expressing herself through guitar. Growing up with two brothers, she learned to assert herself and became, even by my standards, a pretty impressive tomboy. Her toughness was always juxtaposed with her tender and empathic soul, which found its outlet through song…

Read the full piece including photos as well as an accessibility feature to Listen to piece being read aloud here: https://www.kennedy-center.org/our-story/blog?p=bonnie-raitt-honored-by-brandi-carlile