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Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt Quotes

Singer-songwriter

Bonnie Raitt, born on November 8, 1949, is a renowned American singer-songwriter. Her musical style blends blues, country, and rock elements, and she is known for her distinctive voice and guitar skills. Raitt holds a significant position in the music industry, and her songs and albums have won multiple Grammy Awards.

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All People Thinking Ifs Way Knows I Can Guitar Shows Age Movement

Famous Bonnie Raitt Quotes

“I'm sure I would have been considered a more significant artist if I was a singer-songwriter. It's just not the way I roll. I love being a curator and a musicologist. People write me letters and thank me for turning them on to Fred McDowell and Sippie Wallace, and that's partly my job this time around.”

People Ifs Way Writing Has Beens Jobs Artist Letters Singers Significant Songwriters Singer Songwriters Curator

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“In 1967 I entered Harvard as a freshman, confident - in the way that only 17-year-olds are - that I could change the world. My major was African Studies, and my plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was creating a government based on democracy and socialism.”

World Way Years Government President Democracy Study Plans Creating Majors Socialism Changing The World Harvard Freshman Julius Tanzania

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“One of the biggest obstacles I've overcome in my life was thinking I didn't deserve to be successful. Artistically I'm not as much of a heavyweight as someone like Paul Simon or Joni Mitchell, because I'm not a creator of original music, and I worried about that for years.”

Thinking Years Successful Deserve Overcoming Originals Creator Obstacles Worried Being Successful Heavyweights Biggest Obstacles Original Music

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“Pat Benatar might need a rock band, but I can just sit with a blues guitar for an hour and a half and do folk songs and great contemporary ballads, and not many people can pull that off.”

People Needs I Can Might Song Hours Half Rocks Band Guitar Folks Contemporary Rock Bands Ballads Folk Songs

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“Quakers are known for wanting to give back. Ban the bomb and the civil rights movement and the native American struggle for justice - those things were very, very front-burner in my childhood, as were the ideas of working for peace and if you have more than you need, then you share it with people who don't.”

“The anti-nuke movement has important and far-reaching implications for grassroots organizing. 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.”

People Important Real Facts Shows Bigs Kids Political Energy Struggle Movement Republican Musician Radical Reaching Implications Big Business Leftists Grassroots Nukes Political Struggle

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“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.”

Made Difficult Style Deserve Resources Made It Music Business Treasured Consolidation

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“There were so many great music and political scenes going on in the late '60s in Cambridge. The ratio of guys to girls at Harvard was four to one, so all of those things were playing in my mind.”

Mind Political Guy Girl Four Scene Late Harvard Great Music Ratios Cambridge

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“How unthinkable that, in a country of such bursting plenty, so many people are facing ongoing hunger and poverty. If we are truly each other's keepers, let's support school lunches, food stamps, neighborhood garden projects, and so many other wonderful programs working to put an end to this cruel and needless blight once and for all.”

“Life gets mighty precious when there's less of it to waste.”

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“Sometimes I'm more true when I'm up onstage than I'm able to be in my regular life. It's not as exciting to be at home, but I've got to learn how to make that work, and then I will be an ordinary woman.”

Sometimes Home Able Ordinary Exciting

Author:Bonnie Raitt

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

Doe Art Race Class Cutting Music Is Great Things Genre Popular Music

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“There would be no rock and roll or rhythm and blues without Leo Fenders' contribution ... the tone is everything”

Would Be Music Rocks Rhythm Tone Contribution Rock And Roll Rhythm And Blues

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“There's something about the Strat's shape that is at once masculine and feminine”

Music Shapes Feminine Masculine Masculine And Feminine

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“It's incredible to see labor unions and environmentalists getting together to stop the corporate mentality that destroys both jobs and the environment.”

Together Jobs Work Environment Labor Unions Incredibles Corporate Mentality Environmentalist Labor Union Deregulation

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“Nobody went out to pasture, and a lot of people are doing their best work. Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Sting are at the top of their game. I mean, Tony Bennett is the coolest guy I ever met! We have to figure out how to break out of this age ghetto.”

People Mean Age Guy Games Break Figures Mets Toms Petty Best Work Ghetto Break Out Pastures Springsteen

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“I can't make you love me if you don't, You can't make your heart feel something it won't.”

Ifs Feels Heart I Can

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“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.”

People I Can Play Helping Can Do Position Willing Musician Can Do Something

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“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.”

Years Two Wanted Fall Chance Healing Nice Brother Months My Brother Distraction Falling Apart Really Nice Passed Away Two Months Cathartic Taj Mahal Mahal

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“We can live in fear or act out of hope.”

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“Ugly ducklings don't turn into swans and glide off down the lake. Whether your sunglasses are on or off, you only see the world you make.”

World Turns Games Ugly Lakes Nursery Swans Sunglasses Ducklings Ugly Duckling

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“I'll close my eyes, so I won't see, all of the love that you don't feel for me.”

Feels Eye Explanation

Author:Bonnie Raitt

“We can choose, you know, we ain't no amoeba.”

Knows Adages Amoeba

Author:Bonnie Raitt

About the Author

Born: November 8, 1949
Known for: Singer-songwriter
Quotes: 123

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