Long a critic's darling, singer/guitarist Bonnie Raitt did not begin to win the comparable commercial success due her until the release of the aptly titled 1989 blockbuster Nick of Time; her tenth album, it rocketed her into the mainstream consciousness nearly two decades after she first committed her unique blend of blues, rock, and R&B to vinyl. Born in Burbank, CA, on November 8, 1949, she was the daughter of Broadway star John Raitt, best known for his starring performances in such smashes as Carousel and Pajama Game. After picking up the guitar at the age of 12, Raitt felt an immediate affinity for the blues, and although she went off to attend Radcliffe in 1967, within two years she had dropped out to begin playing the Boston folk and blues club circuit. Signing with noted blues manager Dick Waterman, she was soon performing alongside the likes of idols including Howlin' Wolf, Sippie Wallace, and Mississippi Fred McDowell and in time earned such a strong reputation that she was signed to Warner Bros.
Debuting in 1971 with an eponymously titled effort, Raitt immediately emerged as a critical favorite, applauded not only for her soulful vocals and thoughtful song selection but also for her guitar prowess, turning heads as one of the few women to play bottleneck. Her 1972 follow-up, Give It Up, made better use of her eclectic tastes, featuring material by contemporaries like Jackson Browne and Eric Kaz, in addition to a number of R&B chestnuts and even three Raitt originals. 1973's Takin' My Time was much acclaimed, and throughout the middle of the decade she released an LP annually, returning with Streetlights in 1974 and Home Plate a year later. With 1977's Sweet Forgiveness, Raitt scored her first significant pop airplay with her hit cover of the Del Shannon classic "Runaway"; its follow-up, 1979's The Glow, appeared around the same time as a massive all-star anti-nuclear concert at Madison Square Garden mounted by MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy), an organization she'd co-founded earlier. - allmusic.com
Disc 1 - Streetlights
01. That Song About the Midway
02. Rainy Day Man
03. Angel From Montgomery
04. I Got Plenty
05. Streetlights
06. What is Success
07. Ain't Nobody Home
08. Everything That Touches You
09. Got You On My Mind
10. You Got to Be Ready for Love (If You Wanna Be Mine)
Disc 2 - Home Plate
01. What Do You Want the Boy to Do?
02. Good Enough
03. Run Like a Thief
04. Fool Yourself
05. My First Night Alone Without You
06. Walk Out the Front Door
07. Sugar Mama
08. Pleasin' Each Other
09. I'm Blowin' Away
10. Your Sweet and Shiny Eyes
Disc 3 - Sweet Forgiveness
01. About to Make Me Leave Home
02. Runaway
03. Two Lives
04. Louise
05. Gamblin' Man
06. Sweet Forgiveness
07. My Opening Farewell
08. Three Time Loser
09. Takin' My Time
10. Home
Disc 4 - The Glow
01. I Thank You
02. Your Good Thing (Is About to End)
03. Standin' by the Same Old Love
04. Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate
05. The Glow
06. Bye Bye Baby
07. The Boy Can't Help It
08. (I Could Have Been Your) Best Old Friend
09. You're Gonna Get What's Coming
10. (Goin') Wild for You Baby
Disc 5 - Green Light
01. Keep This Heart In Mind
02. River of Tears
03. Can't Get Enough
04. Willya Wontcha
05. Let's Keep It Between Us
06. Me and the Boys
07. I Can't Help Myself
08. Baby Come Back
09. Talk to Me
10. Green Lights
