Bonnie Raitt

It took nearly 20 years for Bonnie Raitt to find the limelight she deserves, but she's been the critics' sweetheart since her 1971 self-titled debut album, which blends R&B, pop, and folk into her pure bluesy groove. How good a guitarist is Bonnie? She's the first woman to have a guitar named after her by Fender.

Bonnie Raitt is an American original, a great singer/songwriter born of the blues. But her choice of cover songs is worth a mention, because it often comes hurtling out of left field. Who'd have guessed that she would not only take on the Talking Heads classic "Burning Down the House" but also make it totally hers?

You don't have to look hard to find the bluesy basics that give Bonnie Raitt her musical spine — after all, she cut her teeth on the club circuit with the likes of Howlin' Wolf and Mississippi Fred McDowell. A lot of tracks in the Deep Cuts will give you a sense of what she's all about, but check out a number like "Willya Wontcha" to get a sense of her diversity.

Bonnie Raitt is mainstream blues royalty. She sings on record and in concert (many of her live performances are activist benefits) like it's the easiest, sexiest, most natural thing in the world — from her raw, early cuts ("Finest Lovin' Man," "Mighty Tight Woman") to her overdue hits, like "Something to Talk About" or "I Can't Make You Love Me." The new millennium has only strengthened Raitt's powers (2002's Silver Lining is outstanding). The lady is unstoppable.