Bootleg Series Vol. 3: Bonnie Raitt Ultra

When I was in High School Bonnie Raitt's music was all over the radio.  It was because she made a great comeback with an album called Nick Of Time.  I loved it I liked her song "Thing Called Love." I did not know that the great songwriter John Hiatt wrote it, but I liked it just the same.  Two years later she put another great album called Luck Of The Draw.  Between that time I loved her spin on classic Blues music and snuck it in the mainstream.  She was awesome and a very good guitar player too.  I needed to hear where she came from.  I wanted to hear early music from her.  I went to a family member for help.  The family member mentioned her first three albums.  The first album had a cover of Buffalo Springfield's classic "Bluebird."  

I went on the search for her first three.  It was a bit hard to find the second two, but I found a copy of her first.  It was not too pricey, but it did the trick for me because after all, her music was new to me.  The music from the first three were very bluesy compared to the new music that was all over the airwaves.  Each of the first three contained a ton of non originals, but her spin on these tunes made them quite unique.  Songs by Chris Smither, Robert Johnson, Sippie Wallace, Jackson Browne, and others show her great taste in the Blues and in Singer/Songwriters.  I loved everything that I heard.  Even on her third album she had the band Little Feat be her backing band.  It was a good time for being a Bonnie Raitt fan back then and I loved her music.  Her fourth album lost a bit of the luster, but her version of John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery" is still on her set list and still a staple in her live recordings. Such a beautiful song and her reading does so much justice.

When It came to live albums I could not find any from her early classic period.  I looked everywhere. I was thinking that there might a lost album or two.  One day I heard a song called "Blender Blues" but when it came to finding out where it came from the DJ on the radio mentioned that the song was from a bootleg called Bonnie Raitt Philadelphia 1972.  The DJ mentioned that there were not any official live albums from this era so occasionally we play this and the phones ring.  The DJ also mentioned that There is another one circulating called Bonnie Raitt Live At Ultrasonic Studios with Lowell George and John Hammond.  Both bootlegs are the best representation of her live performances.  I wanted to hear these and hear her in all her early glory.

About the time I did my internship while in High School I decided to ask the DJ about early Bonnie Raitt.  I mentioned that the station played "Blender Blues."  The DJ laughed and pointed to the DJ that was going on after him.  "If you are looking for any early live recording of artists and musicians that we play on this station, this guy has it all."  He went over to a case of cassettes that he keeps at the station.  There had to be about 500.  I went through them quickly and saw two Bonnie Raitt cassettes.  One was Bonnie Raitt Philadelphia 1972  and the other was Bonnie Raitt Live At Ultrasonic Studios with Lowell George and John Hammond.  There were no covers but each looked they have been used more then once.  The DJ who owned them said to me, "If you mean hearing "Blender Blues?," then this is where it came from."  "I call these the masters and what I do is dub a copy for the station and I keep the original."  "These 500 are just the tip of the iceberg, the station and myself have over 5000 taped bootlegs of people like Eric Clapton, Little Feat, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, U2, Fleetwood Mac, and countless others.  If you name a band or singer you like I likely to have it." My jaw dropped to the floor.

After all that discussion I asked the stupid question that no one should ask.  I asked for a copy of the Bonnie Raitt.  I was worried about the answer because it was asking for a cookie at the neighbors house you barely go to.  When I got the answer yes, I was overjoyed.  "All I ask in return is blank cassettes next time you come in for your internship," he said.  When I came back a few days later I had two cassettes with track listing and a little note.  "Hope this Bonnie Raitt will be a welcome addition to your bootleg collection." "Bonnie's music here is as raw as it ever was and it's too bad that these never saw the light of day, Enjoy!" I left the two blanks and grabbed the Bonnie.  The DJ I worked for told me that there is amazing music on those cassettes and so much more in our vault that one day you should check it out.

A year or so later I heard Bonnie on the radio and thought of that day. with all those bootlegs.  This time the song was from the one the bootleg I'm talking about here.  Her cover of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home"  and it was breathtaking.  Slide playing by Lowell George and guitar playing by John Hammond and Freebo playing bass.  It truly is an amazing performance of the tune.  It's so amazing you can here the musicians and whomever is in the small group of people wowed and in awe.

Bonnie Raitt and John Prine some festival in 1972

If you look around you can find this bootleg and there is a bit more from some unknown recordings.  It's an amazing document of a great musician such as Bonnie who was not only a great singer, but was dedicated and wanting to preserve the classic Blues music from a long time ago.  When I hear her play these tunes and more she had and still has so much potential.  Her signature slide playing is so amazing.  In 2016 she put out a new of album of music called Dig In Deep and once again gives praise to the classics. This time she covers a somewhat modern classic "Need You Tonight" by INXS and really makes it her own.  The slide playing is out of this world.  Her music is great and back in 1972 I wish I saw her live play these great songs and more would have been awesome to hear and watch.  I saw here in the 2000's and she is no joke, she put on a amazing performance and it was what Blues and a great singer can do.  Awe inspiring to saw the least.  Go seek this bootleg out and anything else from 1972 it's all great.  Most of all get those three albums and hear her in all that rawness and passion. Enjoy!!!