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Bonnie Bramlett (born Bonnie Lynn O'Farrell on November 8, 1944 in Alton, Illinois), is an American singer known for her distinctive vocals in rock and popular music, beginning in the mid-sixties as a backup singer, forming the husband-and-wife team of Delaney & Bonnie, and continuing to the present day as a solo artist.

Career

Bonnie started her musical career at fifteen as a backup singer for blues acts such as Fontella Bass, Albert King, and Little Milton.

She made history as the first Caucasian female to sing with Ike and Tina Turner as one of the "Ikettes". She eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she met fellow singer Delaney Bramlett in 1967 at a bowling alley gig for his band, the Shindogs.

They were married within the week. The duo signed with Stax Records and became known as Delaney & Bonnie, becoming the first white artists among R&B artists such as Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Sam & Dave, John Lee Hooker, and Booker T. and the MGs. They soon toured Europe with British rock legend Eric Clapton. With frequent drop-in performances by other noted musicians like Duane Allman, George Harrison, and Dave Mason, the group became known as Delaney & Bonnie & Friends.

Despite this all-star assistance, the duo only managed to chart two songs, their best-known "Never-Ending Song of Love" and a cover of Mason's "Only You Know and I Know". Delaney & Bonnie disbanded, both musically and maritally, in 1972. Bonnie Bramlett's most famous song from this period, "Groupie" (later known as "Superstar") (co-written with Leon Russell) became a big hit for The Carpenters in 1971 and has been successfully recorded numerous other times.

Bonnie Bramlett continued her career as a solo songwriter and recording artist. She released Sweet Bonnie Bramlett in 1973, backed by the Average White Band.

In the late '70s, she toured with Stephen Stills, during which she gained some press notoriety for an incident with Elvis Costello at a Holiday Inn hotel bar in Columbus, Ohio. Costello referred to James Brown as a "jive-ass nigger," then upped the ante by pronouncing Ray Charles a "blind, ignorant nigger." Bramlett and friends had evidently been baiting Costello with derisive comments about British rock music in general and "sawed-off Limey"-type comments aimed at him in particular. A contrite Costello apologised at a New York City press conference a few days later, claiming that he had been drunk and had been attempting to be obnoxious in order to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion, not anticipating that Bramlett would bring his comments to the press. According to Costello, "it became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster."

Bonnie also frequently appeared with The Allman Brothers.

After exploring the gospel music genre in the '80s, in 1988, Bonnie married Danny Sheridan who soon produced her next recordings via the “Revolutionary Hard Rockin’ Blues” of their “Bandaloo Doctors". The group's music attracted the admiration of many Hollywood celebrities, and the couple was soon cast for several seasons of the hit ABC series Roseanne; Bonnie as a semi-regular on the sitcom playing a co-worker named 'Bonnie' and friend to Roseanne Barr's character 'Roseanne Conner', with Sheridan occasionally writing music and appearing as the character “Hank the bass player”. Sheridan went on to act in Pauly Shore’s film “Pauly Shore Is Dead” (2003), and Bramlett in Oliver Stone's The Doors (1991). During this period, Delaney and Bonnie's daughter, Bekka Bramlett, also started a singing career, eventually joining Fleetwood Mac in 1993 after the departure of Stevie Nicks.

It wasn't Bonnie's first acting appearance; she and Delaney Bramlett had small roles in 1971's road classic Vanishing Point and in 1974's Catch My Soul. Bonnie had also guest-starred in an episode of Fame in 1986. She also appeared in the Andrew Davis film The Guardian (2006) starring Kevin Costner.

In 2002, Bramlett returned to her musical roots, releasing her album I'm Still the Same. She continues to record and tour today.

Discography

• Delaney & Bonnie
  • Home (Stax, 1969)
  • The Original Delaney & Bonnie (Elektra, 1969)
  • On Tour With Eric Clapton (Atco, 1970)
  • To Bonnie From Delaney (Atco, 1970)
  • Genesis (GNP, 1971)
  • Motel Shot (Atco, 1971)
  • Country Life (Atco, 1972)
  • D & B Together (CBS, 1972)
  • Catch My Soul (1973)
  • The Best of Delaney & Bonnie (1973)
  • Original Delaney & Bonnie and Friends (2001)
• Bonnie Bramlett
  • Sweet Bonnie Bramlett (CBS, 1973)
  • It's Time (Capricorn, 1975)
  • Lady's Choice (Capricorn, 1976)
  • Memories (Capricorn, 1978)
  • Step by Step (1981)
  • I'm Still the Same (Audium, 2002)
  • Pennies from Heaven (Zoho, 2005)

Filmography

• Vanishing Point (1971)
• Catch My Soul (aka Santa Fe Satan) (1974)
• Fame, episode "Fame and Fortune" (1986)
• The Doors (1991)
• Roseanne (1991-1995)
• The Guardian (2006)

External links

• All-Music Guide: Bonnie Bramlett
• The Bonnie Bramlett Official Website
• Bonnie Bramlett's album recordings

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