Bonnie Raitt’s 21st album ‘Just Like That…’, is out now via Redwing Records on all formats, including an Indie exclusive teal LP and immersive audio formats Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio. The 10-track album’s title comes from a line in one of Raitt’s new original songs (“Just like that, your life can change”). She is also teaming up again with distributor ADA globally and new partner Sub Pop for the physical album release in the United States.
Raitt has had a magnificent year: In addition to the new album, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s GRAMMY Awards, was awarded the Icon Award at the Billboard Woman in Music, and her album Nick of Time was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
‘Just Like That…’ features several songs Raitt has been wanting to record for years, including “Made Up Mind” by the Bros. Landreth, “Something’s Got a Hold of My Heart” by NRBQ’s Al Anderson (NRBQ joins the first leg of Raitt’s tour), and Toots and the Maytals’ “Love So Strong,” which she had intended as a duet with her dear friend Toots Hibbert. Sadly, the reggae giant passed away in 2020; Raitt has included the track as a tribute.
The album has four songs written by Raitt. “Living for the Ones,” co-written with her longtime guitarist George Marinelli, is a rocking dedication to the friends and family she has lost in recent years, while the funky and sardonic “Waitin’ for You to Blow”—about the devil on Recovery’s shoulder—is equal parts Mose Allison, Eddie Harris, and ‘70s funk.
Two of the original songs came out of real-life scenarios: “Down the Hall” was inspired by a New York Times story about a prison hospice program, while the album’s title track was sparked by a news segment about two families deeply impacted on both sides of an organ donation. The power of writing about the life-changing personal experiences of others resonates deeply with Raitt. “I’ve always loved the early guitar songs of Dylan, Jackson Browne, Paul Brady, and especially John Prine,” she says. “With songs like ‘Angel from Montgomery’ and ‘Donald and Lydia,’ John was able to just climb inside and sing these people’s deepest lives. With his passing last year, finishing these songs has meant even more.”’
Listen to Just Like That… lnk.to/justlikethat_br
‘Just Like That…’ was recorded in the summer of 2021 in Sausalito, CA. The players include two veteran members of Raitt’s band, bassist James “Hutch” Hutchinson and drummer Ricky Fataar, as well as two new musicians, Canadian Glenn Patscha on keyboards and backing vocals and Nashville guitarist Kenny Greenberg. Raitt’s frequent guitarist/songwriting partner George Marinelli also joined in, playing and singing on “Livin’ for the Ones.” Once again, Bonnie took the producer reins, reuniting with her favorite recording and mixing engineer, Ryan Freeland, for their third collaboration (they each earned GRAMMY Awards for Raitt’s 2012 release, Slipstream).
The mix of sounds and approaches on ‘Just Like That…’ reveals how, 50 years after the release of her debut album, Raitt continues to personify what it means to stay creative, adventurous, and daring over the course of a life’s work. “On this record, I wanted to stretch,” she says. “I always want to find songs that excite me, and what’s different this time is that I’ve tried some styles and topics I haven’t touched on before.”
Like the rest of the musicians around the world, sidelined for two years from their livelihood and great joy—touring and performing live—Raitt and her band and crew are thrilled to hit the road in April for an eight-month U.S. tour. The tour’s special guests include NRBQ (from April 12—23), followed by Lucinda Williams and longtime friend Mavis Staples on various dates throughout the run. The full tour schedule, with info on Special Benefit Seat information, is listed at www.bonnieraitt.com
Bonnie Raitt has never felt more grateful that she can continue making music, contributing to causes, keeping her crew working, and connecting with her audience. “I’m really aware of how lucky I am,” she says, “and I feel like it’s my responsibility to get out there and say something fresh and new—for me and for the fans. But I need to have something to say or I won’t put out a record.”
