Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time

Prior to Nick of Time, Bonnie Raitt had been a reliable cult artist, delivering a string of solid records that were moderate successes and usually musically satisfying. From her 1971 debut through 1982's Green Light, she had a solid streak, but 1986's Nine Lives snapped it, falling far short of her usual potential. Therefore, it shouldn't have been a surprise when Raitt decided to craft its follow-up as a major comeback, collaborating with producer Don Was on Nick of Time. At the time, the pairing seemed a little odd, since he was primarily known for the weird hipster funk of Was (Not Was) and the B-52's' quirky eponymous debut, but the match turned out to be inspired. Was used Raitt's classic early-'70s records as a blueprint, choosing to update the sound with a smooth, professional production and a batch of excellent contemporary songs. In this context, Raitt flourishes; she never rocks too hard, but there is grit to her singing and playing, even when the surfaces are clean and inviting. And while she only has two original songs here, Nick of Time plays like autobiography, which is a testament to the power of the songs, performances, and productions. It was a great comeback album that made for a great story, but the record never would have been a blockbuster success if it wasn't for the music, which is among the finest Raitt ever made. She must have realized this, since Nick of Time served as the blueprint for the majority of her '90s albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Arnold McCuller Vocals (Background) Arnold McCutler Vocals (Background) Arthur Adams Guitar Bill Bergman Horn Bill Gergman Horn Bonnie Raitt Vocals (Background), Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Slide Guitar Charles Paakkari Assistant Engineer Chuck Domanico Bass, Bass (Acoustic) Clark Germain Assistant Engineer David Crosby Vocals (Background) David Lasley Vocals (Background) Deborah Frankel Photography Dennis Farias Horn Don Was Producer, Keyboards Ed Cherney Engineer, Mixing Fran Christina Drums Gina Furth Hair Stylist Graham Nash Vocals (Background) Greg Fulginiti Mastering Greg Smith Horn Heart Attack Horns Horn, ? Herbie Hancock Piano Hutch Hutchingson Bass James "Hutch" Hutchinson Bass Jay Dee Maness Pedal Steel, Guitar (Steel) Jim Mitchell Assistant Engineer John Berry, Jr. Horn, Vocals (Background) John Jorgenson Guitar Johnny Lee Schell Guitar, Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic) Kim Wilson Harmonica, Harp Larry John McNally Vocals (Background) Leslie Ann Jones Assistant Engineer Marcia McGovern Pre-Production Martin Schmelzle Assistant Engineer Marty Grebb Sax (Tenor) Michael Landau Guitar Michael Ruff Keyboards Paul Starr Make-Up Paulinho Da Costa Conga, Percussion Preston Hubbard Bass Ricky Fataar Percussion, Drums Roberta Ballard Production Manager Scott Thurston Keyboards Sir Harry Bowens Vocals (Background) Steve Hoffman Mastering Swamp Dogg Piano Sweet Pea Atkinson Vocals (Background) Tommy Steele Art Direction Tony Braunagel Timbales, Drums, Percussion