Friday September 2, 2022 “Angel from Montgomery” Bonnie Raitt

Today’s song was written by John Prine who said "I had this really vivid picture of this woman standing over the dishwater with soap in her hands and just walking away from it all. I just kept that whole idea in mind when I was writing the song, and I just let it pour out of that character's heart."

This interpretation of John Prine’s song by Bonnie Raitt features her distinctly soulful hybrid of blues, rock, and R&B, a sound that carries her through her long, varied career.  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 slide guitar.

Bonnie Raitt, daughter of broadway and movie star John Raitt, is also known as much for introducing us to and interpreting songwriters like John Prine, Jackson Browne, Randy Newman and John Hiatt as she is known for her singing and remarkable guitar skills.

In 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court after contentious hearings in which he was accused of sexual assault. On October 5, when it was announced Kavanaugh had enough votes to be confirmed, John Prine, age 71, dedicated “Angel from Montgomery” to the women in the audience at his Ryman Auditorium performance in Nashville. "It's a sad, sad day when women can't be believed," he said.

Stay safe and well…and Bonnie Raitt is not just a skillful female slide guitar player she is just a great guitarist, no gender identification required.

I am an old woman named after my mother

My old man is another child that's grown old

If dreams were thunder, and lighting was desire

This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

 Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

 When I was a young girl well, I had me a cowboy

He weren't much to look at, just a free rambling man

But that was a long time and no matter how I try

Those years just flow by like a broken down dam

 Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

 There's flies in the kitchen I can hear 'em there buzzing

And I ain't done nothing since I woke up today

How the hell can a person go to work in the morning

And come home in the evening and have nothing to say

 Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery

Make me a poster of an old rodeo

Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

To believe in this living is just a hard way to go