Bonnie Raitt - Live at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia 1972 - Part 1
Bonnie Raitt - Live at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia 1972 - Part 2
01 Mighty Tight Woman
02 Rollin' & Tumblin'
03 Any Day Woman
04 Women Be Wise
05 Thank You
06 Bluebird
07 Finest Lovin' Man
08 Big Road
09 Stayed Too Long At The Fair
10 Under The Falling Sky
11 Walkin' Blues
12 Can't Find My Way Home
13 Richland Woman Blues
14 Blender Blues
15 Since I Fell For You
02 Rollin' & Tumblin'
03 Any Day Woman
04 Women Be Wise
05 Thank You
06 Bluebird
07 Finest Lovin' Man
08 Big Road
09 Stayed Too Long At The Fair
10 Under The Falling Sky
11 Walkin' Blues
12 Can't Find My Way Home
13 Richland Woman Blues
14 Blender Blues
15 Since I Fell For You
While attending Radcliffe College in Cambridge in the late 1960s, Raitt’s life changed course when she met Dick Waterman, a blues promoter who worked with legends like Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, and Buddy Guy. Through Waterman, she gained unprecedented access to these towering figures and seized the opportunity to learn directly from the masters. Following her instincts rather than a calculated career plan, she took a semester off from school to travel, listen, and play with the musicians whose records had inspired her.
After Cambridge, Raitt immersed herself in Philadelphia’s vibrant folk and blues scene of the late 1960s. The city’s Philadelphia Folk Festival was at its peak, and venues like the 2nd Fret and the Main Point hosted both local talent and national icons. For a young blues guitarist, there were few better places to develop. Raitt performed in these clubs, often alongside the very bluesmen she had come to admire. Philadelphia wasn’t just a backdrop—it was her proving ground, marking her transition from fan to performer.
Her ties to the city deepened in 1972 when she recorded a live acoustic set at Sigma Sound Studios. Backed by local musicians, the show was broadcast by WMMR, one of Philadelphia’s influential rock stations. Selections from the performance aired regularly, helping build a dedicated regional fan base that has followed her ever since. In a world dominated by male blues musicians, Raitt’s ability to play bottleneck slide guitar with confidence and soul made people take notice. While her gender may have drawn initial curiosity, it was her tone, timing, and touch that earned respect.
She acknowledged that playing “pretty good blues guitar for a girl” helped get her foot in the door—a phrase that speaks volumes about the low expectations she faced. Rather than conform to the industry’s ideas of marketable image or sound, she stayed true to what she loved: traditional blues, folk roots, and heartfelt storytelling. That sincerity resonated, especially with seasoned blues musicians who took her seriously because she took the music seriously. She wasn’t borrowing the blues—she was living it. From: https://www.knowyourinstrument.com/bonnie-raitt-blues-journey/
After Cambridge, Raitt immersed herself in Philadelphia’s vibrant folk and blues scene of the late 1960s. The city’s Philadelphia Folk Festival was at its peak, and venues like the 2nd Fret and the Main Point hosted both local talent and national icons. For a young blues guitarist, there were few better places to develop. Raitt performed in these clubs, often alongside the very bluesmen she had come to admire. Philadelphia wasn’t just a backdrop—it was her proving ground, marking her transition from fan to performer.
Her ties to the city deepened in 1972 when she recorded a live acoustic set at Sigma Sound Studios. Backed by local musicians, the show was broadcast by WMMR, one of Philadelphia’s influential rock stations. Selections from the performance aired regularly, helping build a dedicated regional fan base that has followed her ever since. In a world dominated by male blues musicians, Raitt’s ability to play bottleneck slide guitar with confidence and soul made people take notice. While her gender may have drawn initial curiosity, it was her tone, timing, and touch that earned respect.
She acknowledged that playing “pretty good blues guitar for a girl” helped get her foot in the door—a phrase that speaks volumes about the low expectations she faced. Rather than conform to the industry’s ideas of marketable image or sound, she stayed true to what she loved: traditional blues, folk roots, and heartfelt storytelling. That sincerity resonated, especially with seasoned blues musicians who took her seriously because she took the music seriously. She wasn’t borrowing the blues—she was living it. From: https://www.knowyourinstrument.com/bonnie-raitt-blues-journey/
