Luck of the Draw (album) – 1991
Luck of the Draw is the eleventh album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music).
After being nominated for Grammy awards in four different categories for the album Nick of Time, Raitt went for a creative retreat in Northern California to begin work on Luck of the Draw. “I did it on purpose to see if I could come up with anything,” Raitt said in 1991. “In case I won, I wanted to make sure that I had done some writing and didn’t feel that Nick of Time was a fluke. I didn’t want to win just ’cause I quit drinking and spent twenty years not making any money, you know? There wasn’t enough. So I basically forced myself to go to songwriting boot camp. There were three of four days when it didn’t happen — but because I didn’t have alcohol or unhappiness or anything to get in the way, it started to open up and I started three of the four songs of mine that are on this album. And then it didn’t matter if I won or not, because I had proved to myself that it was okay.”
The album surpassed Nick Of Time’s commercial success, having sold seven million copies in the United States alone by 2010, and was supported by a 180-date tour from 1991-1993. It replicated much of her U.S. success overseas as well, selling two million in France and Italy. It remains Raitt’s biggest-selling recording to date.
In the liner notes, Raitt dedicated this album to the late blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Track listing
1.”Something to Talk About” (Shirley Eikhard) – 3:47
2.”Good Man, Good Woman” (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack) – 3:33
3.”I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Mike Reid, Allen Shamblin) – 5:33
4.”Tangled and Dark” (Bonnie Raitt) – 4:52
5.”Come to Me” (Bonnie Raitt) – 4:20
6.”No Business” (John Hiatt) – 4:24
7.”One Part Be My Lover” (Michael O’Keefe, Bonnie Raitt) – 5:06
8.”Not the Only One” (Paul Brady) – 5:03
9.”Papa Come Quick (Jody and Chico)” (Richard Hirsch, Chip Taylor, Billy Vera) – 2:43
10.”Slow Ride” (Bonnie Hayes, Larry McNally, Andre Pessis) – 3:59
11.”Luck of the Draw” (Paul Brady) – 5:17
12.”All at Once” (Bonnie Raitt) – 5:03
“Good Man, Good Woman” is a Grammy Award-winning duet with Delbert McClinton and also appears on his album Never Been Rocked Enough
Personnel
Bonnie Raitt – vocals; acoustic, electric and slide guitars; electric piano
Sweet Pea Atkinson – background vocals
Curt Bisquera – drums
Harry Bowens – background vocals
Danny Stiles – background vocals, Hammond organ on “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Paul Brady – background vocals
Tony Braunagel – percussion, drums, timbales
Turner Stephen Bruton – acoustic guitar, guitar, background vocals
Carole Castillo – viola
Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone
Glen Clark – background vocals
Steve Conn – accordion
Larry Corbett – cello
John and Phil Cunningham – whistle
Paulinho Da Costa – conga
Deborah Dobkin – percussion
Ernest Ehrhardt – cello
Ricky Fataar – percussion, drums
Robben Ford – electric guitar
Rick Gerding – viola
Mark Goldenberg – acoustic guitar
Martin Goldenberg – guitar
Pamela Goldsmith – viola
Steve Grove – tenor saxophone
John Hiatt – guitar, vocals
Bruce Hornsby – piano, keyboard
James “Hutch” Hutchinson – bass
Randy Jacobs – electric guitar
Dennis Karmazyn – cello
Kris Kristofferson – background vocals
Stephen “Doc” Kupka – baritone saxophone
David Lasley – background vocals
Delbert McClinton – harmonica, vocals
Arnold McCuller – background vocals
Ian McLagan – Hammond organ
Larry John McNally – background vocals
Ivan Neville – keyboard
Novi Novog – viola
Jeff Porcaro – drums
Michael Ruff – keyboard
Johnny Lee Schell – electric guitar, vocals
Aaron Shaw – bagpipes
Benmont Tench – piano, Hammond organ
Richard Thompson – guitar
Lee Thornburg – trumpet
Scott Thurston – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard
Daniel Timms – background vocals
Tower of Power – horns
Billy Vera – electric guitar
Production
Producers: Bonnie Raitt, Don Was
Engineer: Ed Cherney
Assistant engineers: Ray Blair, Dan Bosworth
Mixing: Ed Cherney
Assistant Mixing Engineer: Bryant Arnett
Mastering: Doug Sax
Arrangers: Greg Adams, David Campbell
Art direction: Tommy Steele
Design: Jeffery Fey
Logo: Margo Chase
Lettering: Margo Chase