Bonnie Raitt

During the In Memoriam segment of the 2023 Grammy Awards, Takeoff, Christine McVie, Loretta Lynn, and more were honored.

“She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. [Quavo](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/quavo/) then took the stage, joined by Maverick City Music, to honor his nephew [Takeoff](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/takeoff/), who [died in November](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/takeoff-shot-dead-migos-obituary-1234622061/) at the age of 28 after being shot at a bowling alley in Houston, Texas. “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure,” the band shared of McVie in a statement. White, Tyrone Downie, Ronnie Hawkins, Hurricane G, Andrew Woolfolk, Donald “Tabby” Shaw, Sam Gooden, Jeff Cook, Lamont Dozier, Vangelis, and more. [Kacey Musgraves](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/kacey-musgraves/), who sang a shattering cover of [Loretta Lynn](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/loretta-lynn/)’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (Lynn [died in October](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/loretta-lynn-dead-obituary-65340/) at 90). [Bonnie Raitt](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/bonnie-raitt/), Sheryl Crow, and [Mick Fleetwood](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/mick-fleetwood/) joined forces to pay tribute to [Christine McVie](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/christine-mcvie/) during the In Memoriam segment of the 2023 [Grammy Awards](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/grammy-awards/).

Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Quavo and Kacey Musgraves were among the artists part of tribute performances at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

Quavo was then joined by a choir of voices in Maverick City Music, who sang the chorus of Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” with a dark background illuminated by the light of the stars behind them. The performance ended with Fleetwood taking his hat off in salute to his collaborators. Tears rolled down my eyes / Can’t tell you how many times I cried, Quavo sang in the opening line of

The song took home the award over others from Beyoncé, Adele, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and more.

Earlier in the day, Raitt won Best Americana Performance (“Made Up My Mind”) and Best American Roots Song (“Just Like That”). She also sang part of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” during [a tribute](https://pitchfork.com/news/kacey-musgraves-and-migos-quavo-lead-2023-grammys-in-memoriam-tribute/) to Christine McVie, who [died](https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/remembering-fleetwood-macs-christine-mcvie-with-8-essential-tracks/) last year. In the press room after her victory, Raitt said she was shocked to win Song of the Year and that she herself “couldn’t pick a favorite” out of the nominees. The track was [nominated](https://pitchfork.com/news/grammy-nominations-2023-see-the-full-list-here/) alongside Adele’s “Easy on Me,” Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5,” Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film),” DJ Khaled’s “God Did,” and Gayle’s “ABCDEFU.” “I don’t write a lot of songs but I’m so proud that you appreciate this one,” she added. “I’m totally humbled.” She also paid tribute to the

A “surprised” and “totally humbled” Bonnie Raitt received the Grammy Award on Sunday for song of the year. The legendary singer appeared stunned when she ...

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 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. ... 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. And thank you so much. So I thank my team for helping me get this record out. 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.

Bonnie Raitt wins the 2023 Grammy for song of the year with "Just Like That" in a surprise victory over stars including Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Lizzo.

In an upset win, the icon won the 2023 Grammy award for song of the year for “Just Like That” on Sunday (Feb. And just like that, Bonnie Raitt has another Grammy to her name. “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,” Raitt said in her acceptance speech.

Bonnie Raitt took home Song of the Year for "Just Like That" at the 2023 Grammys on Sunday night.

And that was the inspiration for the music for this song, telling the story from the inside. But I am so lucky to still get to do this for a living. “So I thank my team for helping me get this record out and thank you so much. 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 organs to help another person live.” “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, who 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,” Raitt continued. The musician self-produced the record and recorded alongside bassist James “Hutch” Hutchinson, drummer Ricky Fataar, keyboardist and backing vocalist Glenn Patscha, and guitarist Kenny Greenberg. “Thank you for honoring me, the only academy that surrounded me with so much support and appreciates the art of songwriting as I do. She added: “The story was so simple and so beautiful for these times. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted singer recorded the title track for Just Like That… “After five decades, I do it because I love it. “To be 73 years old and get a song of the year…when I’m barely a songwriter,” she said. [Bonnie Raitt](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bonnie-raitt-made-up-mind-single-1312588/) took home the award for [Song of the Year](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/song-of-the-year/) for “Just Like That” at the [Grammys](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/grammys/).

And "Just Like That," Bonnie Raitt took home Song of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, hosted Sunday night (Feb. 5).

“I’m not a terrific cook, but I appreciate why you wouldn’t want to put this vegetable with that vegetable when this one will be a better match. Those blues guitar licks on ‘Made Up Mind,’ I could have been singing a song about a laundromat and I still would’ve cut it.” “I’m totally humbled.”

Bonnie Raitt's “Just Like That” was crowned song of the year at the 2023 Grammys on Sunday, as the artist racked up her third award of the night.

“I don’t write a lot of songs but I’m so proud that you appreciate this one.” Accepting the honor from First Lady Jill Biden, Raitt told the crowd, “I’m so surprised I don’t know what to say. [Taylor Swift](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/taylor-swift/) [Grammys: Jay-Z Shut Out as Taylor Swift and Adele Win One Award Each and Bonnie Raitt Surprises](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/2023-grammys-snubs-surprises-taylor-swift-adele-jay-z-1235318571/) [Harry Styles](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/harry-styles/) [Most Memorable Grammys Moments: Beyoncé’s Big Night, Harry Styles’ Big Win and Hip-Hop’s Big Tribute](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/2023-grammys-best-moments-1235318526/) [Taylor Swift](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/taylor-swift/) [Grammys: Harry Styles Wins Album of the Year, Beyoncé Becomes Most Awarded Artist in Show’s History](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/grammys-2023-recap-winners-highlights-major-moments-1235317926/) “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 this story was so simple and so beautiful for these times and people have been responding to this song partly because of how much I love and we all love John Prine, and that was the inspiration for the music of this song, telling a story from the inside,” Raitt continued. This is just an unreal moment.” She thanked the Recording Academy for their support and for “the art of songwriting like I do.” Whereas record of the year focuses on a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to it, song of the year looks at the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote it. Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” was crowned song of the year at the 2023 [Subscribe Sign Up](https://cloud.email.hollywoodreporter.com/signup/) [Grammys](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/grammys/) on Sunday, as the artist racked up her third award of the night. Raitt was nominated alongside Gayle’s “abcdefu,” Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film),” Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” Adele’s “Easy on Me,” DJ Khaled (featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy)’s “God Did” and Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5.” [Share this article on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&title=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year&sdk=joey&display=popup&ref=plugin&src=share_button&app_id=1153511048447777) [Share this article on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&text=Grammys%3A%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year&via=thr) [Share this article on Email](mailto:?subject=thr%20:%20Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year&body=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/%20-%20Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year) [Show additional share options](#) [Share this article on Print]() [Share this article on Comment](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/#respond) [Share this article on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year%20-%20https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/) [Share this article on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=1&url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&title=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year&summary&source=thr) [Share this article on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&title=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year) [Share this article on Pinit](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&description=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year) [Share this article on Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool/preview?shareSource=legacy&canonicalUrl&url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bonnie-raitt-song-year-2023-grammys-1235317758/&posttype=link&title=Grammys:%20Bonnie%20Raitt%20Wins%20Song%20of%20the%20Year) The veteran musician appeared shocked to hear her name called.

Bonnie Raitt cleaned up at the 65th annual Grammy Awards — and no one seemed more surprised than her. On Feb. 5, the 73-year-old took home one of the ...

Follow [TODAY.com](http://today.com/) for complete Grammys coverage, [including this year’s winners](https://www.today.com/popculture/awards/2023-grammy-winners-list-rcna68826), unexpected moments, and can’t-miss performances from the biggest names in music. "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," Raitt said. [former “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah](https://www.today.com/popculture/awards/trevor-noah-host-grammy-awards-2023-rcna61993), the [2023 Grammys](https://www.today.com/popculture/music/grammys-2023-nominees-performers-date-time-channel-rcna68788) are broadcast live from the [Crypto.com](http://crypto.com/) Arena in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. "People have been responding to the song partly because of how much I love and we all love John Prine. Prine, who died in April 2020 at the age of 73 from complications related to COVID-19, and Raitt were longtime collaborators and friends. “Every time I hear about a family donating organs when their child has been killed, or there’s some sort of sudden death—as if you’re not in grief and shock enough—to have the view and the compassion and the love to be able to pay it forward like that is so incredible,” Raitt said, “and the kindness of the recipient, and what that must feel like for them.”

Bonnie Raitt beat the likes of Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Adele, Lizzo and Harry Styles to take the coveted Song of the Year Grammy Award.

Marin County music legend Bonnie Raitt triumphs for song of the year with "Just Like That," which was inspired by the late-great John Prine.

“I was so inspired for his song by the incredible story of the love and grace and generosity of someone that donates their beloved’s organs to help another person live,” Raitt said. It was an overall big night for Raitt, who won three of the four categories she was nominated in. The others all had multiple contributors, including a team of nine that fashioned “God Did” by DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy. (Of course, she has a long history in doing both.) And nobody seemed more surprised about the victory than Raitt — who was presumed to be a massive underdog going into the night. This is just an unreal moment.”

If her expression was anything to go by, blues singer Bonnie Raitt was not expecting to win Song of the Year at the 65th Grammy Awards on Sunday.

[wins](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/entertainment/grammy-winners-list-2023/index.html), for Best American Roots Song and Song of the Year. “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 this story was so simple and so beautiful for these times,” Raitt explained in her acceptance speech. She snatched the prize for the latter from under the noses of fellow nominees including [Beyoncé](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/entertainment/beyonce-grammys-most-awarded-artist-cec), [Adele](https://cnn.com/2023/02/06/entertainment/adele-the-rock-grammys-intl-scli/index.html), [Taylor Swift](https://cnn.com/2023/01/27/entertainment/taylor-swift-lavender-haze-video-song/index.html) and [Harry Styles](https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/entertainment/the-grammy-awards-2023/index.html). Not content with two wins for “Just Like That,” Raitt picked up her third Grammy of the evening – and 13th of her career – for another song, “Made Up Mind,” in the Americana Performance category. Raitt’s winning song, “Just Like That,” is about a woman visited by a man who is only alive because of the heart he received – a heart that had belonged to the woman’s son. “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,” she said.

Christine McVie is remembered at the 2023 Grammy Awards with a beautiful performance of one of her very best songs for the In Memoriam section of the show.

[Motown hookup of Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/stevie-wonder/smokey-robinson-chris-stapleton-motown-grammys/), the 2023 ceremony saw an all-star collaboration of [Sheryl Crow](https://www.smoothradio.com/news/music/sheryl-crow-age-net-worth-songs/), Bonnie Raitt and Mick Fleetwood, who joined forces to pay tribute to [Christine McVie](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/christine-mcvie-facts-age-husband-children-net-worth/). [and gone too soon](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/christine-mcvie-death-tributes/), so it means a lot," Bonnie Raitt told [Entertainment Tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J8nOVFyx4I) on the red carpet. [Fleetwood Mac](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/best-songs-ranked-videos/)'s classic [1977 album Rumours](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/rumours-making-of-album-relationships/), before being memorably covered by the likes of Eva Cassidy and Willie Nelson. And to bring the In Memoriam segment to a close, Mick Fleetwood accompanied Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt for a moving cover of ‘Songbird,’ originally written by his late Fleetwood Mac bandmember, Christine McVie— NowThis (@nowthisnews) "I think right now, I truly think the line in the sand has been drawn with the loss of Chris," Mick told the [Stevie Nicks leads tributes to Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/stevie-nicks-christine-mcvie-tributes/) ['Rumours': How Fleetwood Mac created a masterpiece despite heartbreaking splits and fights](https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/fleetwood-mac/rumours-making-of-album-relationships/) [Listen to the Smooth Icons Live Playlist on Global Player](https://www.globalplayer.com/playlists/2SWjA/)

Bonnie Raitt accepts the Song of the Year award during the 65th GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles, California in January 2023. Timothy Norris/FilmMagic. By Andrew ...

But “Just Like That” matters because it tells a unique story from an oft-ignored perspective—and because it’s a flat-out beautiful song that Adele, Taylor Swift, or Beyoncé would be proud to have written. “As we age, nearly all women notice that they become somewhat invisible in the world, but in the golden era of the women’s film, older women really were expected to fade quietly into the wallpaper,” she wrote. Last week, TIME film critic Stephanie Zacharek wrote a piece pegged to the new film 80 For Brady about how the stories of older women have long mattered little to wider culture. It’s entirely possible that many older voters saw her solo name and picked as a rejoinder to a new era of pop songs written by committee. But all of this analysis ignores the quality of the song itself. A vote for Raitt, then, was a vote not just for the song, but for a generation, as well as a non-digital, highly personal approach to music. It has one-sixtieth the number of Spotify streams as the second-least streamed song in the category, DJ Khaled’s “GOD DID.” To many, its victory was a perfect example of the Grammys being out of touch. Raitt was also likely aided by the fact that her connection with the Grammys is long and deep. She serves as a bridge both to an older generation and a younger one. That critique is partly true: the song absolutely benefited from older Grammy voters who look upon music industry changes with contempt and long for the good old days. Raitt’s victory—which came at the expense of pop titans like Beyoncé, Adele, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles—was one of the more notable upsets in recent Grammys history; even Raitt herself was stunned. “Stop giving random people awards challenge,” [wrote one user](https://twitter.com/hotpinkvegas/status/1622446940565782529).

Bonnie Raitt attends the 65th Grammy Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles. FilmMagic. There was Lizzo's “About Damn Time.” There was Harry Styles' “As It ...

The Grammys, the association of my peers have been over and over so kind to me. 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. Raitt said given the “massively talented, great tunes that represented tremendous excitement of the public” with which “Just Like That” was in the running, she felt particularly proud that her “little record” struck a chord.

Inspired by a true story, the song tells of a long-grieving woman who meets the man who received her son's heart.