Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Bonnie Raitt’s Battle with Addiction and How She Overcame Her Struggles

Bonnie Raitt’s Battle with Addiction and How she Overcame Her Struggles
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

With her red hair, soulful and unaffected singing style, and skillful guitar skills, Bonnie Raitt made an impact enough to garner attention from industry executives and lead her straight to stardom. But after all the achievements and a decade of non-stop touring, success slowly turned into struggles. Liquor became her lifestyle, and soon she was drowning in it. 

But she forced herself to swim to the surface and get her life back on track. And when she did, she rose higher than she did before. 

1971: Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt made the move from Los Angeles to the east in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the late ‘60s. At the time, she was a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social Relations and African Studies and heavily immersing herself in the city’s cultural and political activities. 

But aside from being into academics and activism, Raitt was also deep into music, especially folk and blues. And in between Harvard classes, she would explore more of these music in local coffeehouse gigs. She also became the lead singer in a campus music group known as ‘Revolutionary Music Collective’ founded by songwriter Bob Telson. In the midst of all the things that were happening came an opportunity that changed everything for her. She left college and committed herself to music. 

Her exceptional talent did not go unheard, and soon enough, Warner Bros. tracked her down and signed her up for a record deal. In 1971, she released her self-titled debut album. Over the next years, her music received critical acclaim, but it was only in 1977 that Raitt earned her first hit single with her gritty arrangement of Del Shannon’s “Runaway” in her album Sweet Forgiveness. And ever since then, her name has become a staple in the industry.

The Path to the Bottom

Raitt’s story of success turned into a series of struggles. She started drinking to the point of abuse and partying all night, but the lifestyle soon caught up with her in the mid-80s. She felt heavy, and she wasn’t as productive as she wanted. Most of the time, she didn’t know what she felt like. And slowly, all that she had built in years started to crumble down.

She lost her contract, and it looked like her career was going to be left in ashes. 

The Re-emergence

But in every story of downfall, there’s always a point of change that leads upwards. Before, Raitt thought that she had to keep up with the lifestyle in order to be authentic, but by the time she was 37, she knew that the late-night partying life was not working for her. And she realized that if she kept it for so long, all she was gonna end up to be was sloppy or dead. 

But one of the biggest credits to her breaking the substance abuse and journeying towards sobriety was seeing Stevie Ray Braughn become an even better musician when sober. 

She became clean in 1987, and in one of her interviews after that, she said that she really felt like angels were carrying her around. She had more focus and discipline in her craft, and she also had more respect for herself. 

According to the singer, she was one of the lucky ones after seeing Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse pass away. Raitt also mentioned that while everyone else smiled at Winehouse’s “Rehab,” to her it was heartbreaking because it looked like at that point she was on a slippery slope. 

In 1990, Bonnie Raitt finally made her comeback after signing a new contract with Capitol Record. And from the brink, she made a powerful re-emergence in the country music scene with her big crossover hit “Nick of Time,” which earned her four Grammys. Recalling that time, Raitt confessed that it felt so unreal, and to this day, that remains to be the ‘most fortuitous and transformational event’ of her life.

Thirty-four years sober now, Bonnie Raitt is happily enjoying her time making music. She’s also very open, speaking about her past struggles, and has been actively talking to youth groups as well as prisoners about what she had been through. She truly is an inspiration. 

Latest Stories

Brooks & Dunn performing on stage together, fitting their story about admitting they struggled to get along for years.

Brooks and Dunn Admit They Struggled to Get Along for Years and Tried to Blow It Real Hard

Country music’s greatest duo was basically a bar fight waiting to happen. When Brooks & Dunn stormed out of the gate with “Brand New Man” in 1991, it looked like ...

LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian smiling outdoors, not taken when she spoke about feeling hated after their affair scandal.

LeAnn Rimes Says So Many Women Hated Her After Affair With Eddie Cibrian and She Felt Like a Target

Ain’t every country ballad pretty, and LeAnn Rimes knows her verse is messy as hell. View this post on Instagram A post shared by leann rimes cibrian (@leannrimes) Back in ...

Jana Kramer with husband Allan Russell and her kids outdoors, not taken when she admitted she sometimes skips sunscreen.

Jana Kramer Admits She Skips Sunscreen Sometimes on Her Kids and Feels Fine About It

“Come at me.” That’s Jana Kramer’s whole vibe right now, and boy, they sure are. Turns out you don’t have to drop a scandalous album or torch an ex on ...

Kenny Rogers’ twin sons Justin and Jordan just turned 21 and fans say they look just like the late country music legend now.

Kenny Rogers’ Twin Sons Just Turned 21 and Fans Say They Look Just Like Him Now

A couple of chocolate cakes, two wide grins, and a whole lot of “They look just like their daddy”. That’s how Kenny Rogers’ twin sons rang in their milestone 21st ...

Waylon Jennings once called Garth Brooks the most insincere person he ever saw

Waylon Jennings Once Said Garth Brooks Was the Most Insincere Person He Ever Saw

Sometimes you need an old outlaw to call out what everyone else is too polite to say out loud. Back when Nashville was shape-shifting in the ’80s and ’90s, country ...

Josh Weathers raises over $337000 in a livestream concert fundraiser to help Texas families devastated by catastrophic floods.

Josh Weathers Raises Over $337000 in Livestream to Help Texas Families Hit by Floods

A guitar in hand and a heart the size of Texas. That’s Josh Weathers right now. While storms swallowed up gigs and highways across Central Texas, this Fort Worth native ...

Lauren Alaina fires back at trolls who mom-shame her for bottle-feeding her newborn, pictured holding baby Beni Doll Arnold.

Lauren Alaina Fires Back at Trolls Who Mom-Shame Her for Bottle-Feeding

A bottle in one hand and zero time for strangers’ opinions in the other. That’s how Lauren Alaina’s rolling and some loudmouths just found out the hard way. If you’ve ...

Kelly Clarkson seen emotional in a past photo, echoing fans’ heartbreak after she canceled her Vegas opening night due to illness.

Fans Are Heartbroken After Kelly Clarkson Cancels Vegas Opening Night Due to Illness

Nothing guts a diehard fan like standing in line for hours only to get hit with the words “Show’s off.” Kelly Clarkson found herself in that brutal spot last weekend ...

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton perform together on stage, teaming up for a new duet that might break country radio charts.

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton Team Up for a Duet That Might Break Country Radio

Sometimes, country music gives you a pairing that is so perfect that you wonder what the hell took so long. Well, here we are. Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton are ...

Dolly Parton smiles in a sparkling gown, proving she’ll always look glamorous on the outside to match how she feels inside.

Dolly Parton Shares Glamorous Photo Says She’ll Always Look How She Feels Inside

Some folks roll out of bed looking like they just survived a bar fight but not Dolly damn Parton. On July 1, the queen of country herself dropped a glamorous ...