BONNIE RAITT

BONNIE RAITT

 

Original 1971 album liner notes

This music was made at an empty summer camp on Enchanted Island, about 30 miles west of Minneapolis on Lake Minnetonka.  In between ping pong and fishing, we recorded in a wood-frame garage with Dave and Sylvia working the equipment from a loft above us.  We recorded live on four tracks because we wanted a more spontaneous and natural feeling in the music – a feeling often sacrificed when the musicians know they can overdub their part on a separate track until it’s perfect.  It also reflects the difference between music made among friends living together in the country and the kind squeezed out trying to beat city traffic and studio clocks.

 

As to who we are: there’s Willie and the Bumblebees, who keep themselves and their reputation alive playing every weekend in a Minneapolis bar.  Freebo is from Philadelphia and played with Edison Electric before traveling with me.  I’m from Cambridge, as is Peter Bell, a fine singer and songwriter as well as guitarist (nice hambones too).

 

The two special additions were Junior Wells and A.C. Reed, who drove up from Chicago to see if I was really going to do this after all, and maybe slip in a little fishing on the side.  Junior’s versatility and class never cease to amaze me.  A.C., who sings even better than his brother, Jimmy, plays with Junior and Buddy Guy and has gone nameless on so many Chicago sessions it’s about time he stepped out for the credit he’s due.

 

The actual recording was handled by Dave and Sylvia Ray – the same Dave Ray of the Koerner Ray and Glover records I grew up on.  They recently started their own studio where people like the Bumblebees, John Koerner, Peter Bell and Dave will also be recording with this kind of live approach in mind.

 

My special thanks go to Joyce and my brother, Steve, who somehow held this conglomeration together and always made us smile

 

– Bonnie Raitt

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Musicians:

Bonnie Raitt: vocals, acoustic and slide guitar

Junior Wells: harp

A.C. Reed: tenor sax solo

Willie Murphy: piano

Freebo: fretless bass

Peter Bell: electric guitar

Douglas “Toad” Spurgeon: trombone

 

The Bumblebees

Russell Hagen: electric guitar

Steven Bradley: drums

Voyle Harris: trumpet

Maurice Jacox: baritone sax, flute*

Eugene Hoffman: tenor sax

John Beach: piano

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Side One

 

Bluebird  3:26

(Stephen Stills)

 

Bonnie, A.C., Peter, Freebo, Steve, Eugene (cowbell), Willie

Background vocals: Bonnie, Peter, Paul Pena (bass), Reeve Little

 

Mighty Tight Woman  4:19

(Sippie Wallace, arr. John Beach)

 

Bonnie, John, Freebo, Steve, Junior

 

Thank You  2:48

(Bonnie Raitt)

 

Bonnie (piano), Willie (guitar), Freebo, Steve, Maurice*, Voyle

 

Finest Lovin’ Man  4:41

(Bonnie Raitt)

 

Bonnie, Junior, Russell, Willie, Freebo, Steve, A.C., Voyle, Eugene, Maurice

 

Any Day Woman  2:19

(Paul Seibel)

 

Bonnie, Willie (vocal), Freebo, Steve

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Side Two

 

Big Road  3:31

(Tommy Johnson, arr. Bonnie Raitt)

 

Bonnie, Peter (acoustic), Junior, Freebo (tuba), Toad, Steve, Willie

 

Walking Blues  3:35

(Robert Johnson, arr. Bonnie Raitt)

 

Bonnie, Junior, Peter (hambone)

 

Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead  2:50

(Ivy Hunter-Clarence Paul-William Stevenson)

 

Bonnie (electric slide), Willie, Russell, Freebo, Steve, A.C., Eugene, Voyle, Maurice

Background vocals: Bonnie, Peter, Chris Rhodes

 

Since I Fell For You  3:03

(Bud Johnson)

 

Bonnie, Willie, Freebo, Steve, Eugene, Voyle, Maurice, Russell, A.C. (sax solo)

 

I Ain’t Blue  3:35

(John Koerner)

 

Bonnie, Freebo, Maurice*

Percussion and background vocals: Peter (shingle), Willie (shuttlecock in cup), Steve Raitt (stick on plastic pitcher)

 

Women Be Wise  4:13

(Sippie Wallace, additional lyrics by John Beach)

 

Bonnie, John, Voyle (naked), Freebo, Steve

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PRODUCED BY WILLIE MURPHY

 

Engineers: Dave and Sylvia Ray

Remix Engineer: Kendall Pacios

Recorded at Sweet Jane, Ltd. Studios, Minneapolis, August, 1971

 

Personal Management: Dick Waterman, Avalon Productions

 

Dedicated to Barnaby Ray

 

WB

 

© 1971 Warner Bros. Records Inc. (P) 1971 Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Warner Bros. Records Inc., a Subsidiary & Licensee of Warner Bros. Inc., 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, Calif. 91505. 44 East 50th Street, New York, New York 10022. Made in U.S.A.

 

 

WS 1953