[mhammer]

I didn't watch the Grammies last night, having no appreciation for Wascawie Wabbit (is that his name?) & Co. But this morning, as I was waking up, CBC radio informed me that Bonnie Raitt had won Song of the Year for "Just Like That", and they played the song. Even though the album had come out 9 months earlier, I hadn't heard it before, and I was sobbing like a baby. I saw Bonnie some 50 years ago, when she and then-bass-accompanist Freebo played Mariposa on Toronto Island, and it was lovely to see her acknowledged. It was also wonderful to see such a mature and deep song be recognized, amid all the trite crap. There's an episode of Family Guy, where Stewie attempts to write a hit song. He solicits Brian's help, and sings him the lyrics he has so far, "I want to have intercourse with you, I want to have intercourse with you, YEAH". There are times in popular music where that's a pretty apt depiction of the state of the form. So it was encouraging to see "the academy" note, via Bonnie, that popular music can be more grown-up than that.

"Well, Mr. Clark, it doesn't have much of a beat, but I can openly weep to it."

 

[Sneaky]

She was as surprised as anyone. It was great to see.

 

[Mooh]

She's absolutely the real deal. Gracious and honest on top of that monster talent.

 

[hagfan]

I saw Bonnie and her band a few years back in Kitchener at Center in the Square. Great show, and what a band !!!!

 

[greco]

I saw Bonnie and her band a few years back in Kitchener at Center in the Square. Great show, and what a band !!!!

I was at that show also. Wonderful memories.

This is such a beautiful song!

 

[nbs2005]

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway won best bluegrass album for Crooked Tree. She's such a monster guitar player. I've done this song at an open mike with my friend playing Dobro.

 

[mhammer]

I was at that show also. Wonderful memories.

This is such a beautiful song!

I think Bonnie learned a thing or two about songwriting from John Prine. It's got that kind of simple honesty.

 

[Chito]

Her song beat out songs by Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Adele and a bunch of other pop stars. It's about time!

 

[Sneaky]

I think Bonnie learned a thing or two about songwriting from John Prine. It's got that kind of simple honesty.

She acknowledged John in her acceptance speech…

Below is her full acceptance speech.

Oh, my gosh. Oh, I’m so surprised. I don’t know what to say. This is just an unreal moment. Thank you for honoring me, to all the academy that surrounds me with so much support and appreciates the art of songwriting as I do. I was so inspired for this song by the incredible story of the love and the grace and the generosity of someone that donates their beloved’s organs to help another person live, and the story was so simple and so beautiful for these times.

And people have been responding to the song partly because of how much I love and we all love John Prine, and that was the inspiration for the music for this song and telling a story from the inside. ... I don’t write a lot of songs, but I’m so proud that you appreciate this one and what this means for me and for the rest of the songwriters. ...


I would not be up here tonight if it wasn’t for the art of the great, soul-digging, hard-working people that put these songs and ideas to music. So I thank my team for helping me get this record out. And thank you so much. I’m just totally humbled. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[Paul M]

Fun Fact: Bonnie Raitt's drummer Rick Fataar played the role of Stig in The Rutles.

 

[laristotle]

Fun Fact: Bonnie Raitt's drummer Rick Fataar played the role of Stig in The Rutles.

Played with The Beach Boys, '71 - 74 and many others.

 

[DavidP]

So well deserved!!

 

[Steadfastly]

I was at that show also. Wonderful memories.

This is such a beautiful song!

First time I heard the song. It gives a person perspective on life. I love story songs. This one was well written, sung and composed.

 

[mhammer]

She acknowledged John in her acceptance speech…

Below is her full acceptance speech.

Oh, my gosh. Oh, I’m so surprised. I don’t know what to say. This is just an unreal moment. Thank you for honoring me, to all the academy that surrounds me with so much support and appreciates the art of songwriting as I do. I was so inspired for this song by the incredible story of the love and the grace and the generosity of someone that donates their beloved’s organs to help another person live, and the story was so simple and so beautiful for these times.

And people have been responding to the song partly because of how much I love and we all love John Prine, and that was the inspiration for the music for this song and telling a story from the inside. ... I don’t write a lot of songs, but I’m so proud that you appreciate this one and what this means for me and for the rest of the songwriters. ...


I would not be up here tonight if it wasn’t for the art of the great, soul-digging, hard-working people that put these songs and ideas to music. So I thank my team for helping me get this record out. And thank you so much. I’m just totally humbled. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

I guess that goes to show you what an indelible imprint Prine left, that one could hear his influence without knowing anything more about the song or hearing Bonnie's speech. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Okay Player]

My favorite Grammy thing is always when someone wins in a category but you'll never hear their music on that genres stations.

Ie: Sturgill Simpson.

 

[fogdart]

She also won Americana Song Of The Year with a tune written by Canada’s “The Bros. Landreth”.

 

[MarkM]

I think Bonnie is coming here this fall, I have to go!

 

[Midnight Rider]

Good to see Bonnie rise above all the cultural junk on display during this years Grammys. I wouldn't waste a second of my time watching it but I had heard on the radio she had won 'Song Of The Year'. 👏

I can only hope that Bonnie and other talented quality artists like her can help right the ship of 'Grammys' in the near future to once again become the respected organization it once was.

Last time I saw her in concert was in London at Centennial Hall,... a memorable show as usual.
Pics are screen shots from some video I took so not up to snuff.

Beats the hell out of this,

 

[Midnight Rider]

Forbes article: The Story Behind The Song That Delivered Bonnie Raitt’s Surprise Grammy Win

There was Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.” There was Harry Styles’ “As It Was.” There was Adele’s “Easy On Me,” and entries from Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Steve Lacy, Kendrick Lamar and DJ Khaled.

But in the end, it was “Just Like That,” a quiet, contemplative song written and performed by Bonnie Raitt that took home Song of the Year in the most shocking moment of the 65thGrammys.

One of our greatest Americana and blues singers and guitarists, at 73 Raitt has picked up her share of trophies through the years. Still, no one was more surprised than she was to win the award for her song dedicated to her beloved friend and collaborator John Prine, who died in April 2020, and inspired by a story she saw on the news about an organ donor that encapsulated for her the pain and perseverance of the past several years.

“I feel that people’s hearts have been broken and they’ve been so discouraged and anxious, at least I have been,” Raitt told reporters backstage after her win.

“I saw this story on the news of this woman that had met the man who had her son’s heart and said, ‘Would you like to listen to it? Sit next to me and put your head on my chest.’ Because things have been so tough the last few years, I just broke open and was just inspired,” she said.

“And we lost John Prine, and I wanted to write a song about what it feels like to tell the good news stories. It’s a heart wrenching-story but a heart-warming story about grace and redemption. And God knows we need some stories like that right now.”

Raitt said given the “massively talented, great tunes that represented tremendous excitement of the public” with which “Just Like That” was in the running in the Best Song category, she felt particularly proud that her “little record” struck a chord. “I’m was so glad to be nominated, and I was very surprised… but holding up our end of the American roots and my generation—that made me very proud,” she said.

“To be 73 years old and get Song of the Year for my songwriting when I’m barely a songwriter is just… after five decades. I’m so lucky to do this for a living, and my fans are so loyal and the Academy has been so great to me. The Grammys, the association of my peers have been over and over so kind to me. I’m pinching myself. It’s a wonderful thing.”

 

[laristotle]

Beats the hell out of this