Following the sudden demise of Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Bonnie was quick out of the blocks in 1973 with her first solo album on CBS, followed by three more on Capricorn Records over the next five years.

This more obvious second label was home for nearly all the Southern Rock bands of the seventies, Lynyrd Skynyrd being the most notable exception. Kick started by the prodigious talent, drive and varied musical influences of the Allman Brothers Band, the new musical genre enjoyed its heyday as the South emerged from its past with renewed confidence and self esteem. This was in part due to the election of Jimmy Carter, former Governor of Georgia and both friend and beneficiary of Phil Walden at Capricorn Records and some the label’s major artists.

Bonnie enjoyed many contributions from the Capricorn “family” of musicians, both in the studio and out on the road. The music produced here finds Bonnie well at ease with her material.

After “Step By Step” it would be more than 20 years until Bonnie retuned to make an album. Time out, a fair smattering of session work, a variety of acting roles and a stint with The Bandaloo Doctors (who toured with Ringo Starr’s band and appeared at Farm Aid but didn’t release any recordings) took up those years. With something of a point to prove, Bonnie eventually returned to focus on singing…which has been good news for us. We look forward to more!

1973

1. Able, Qualified And Ready
2. Singer Man
3. Crazy 'Bout My Baby
4. Got To Get Down
5. Good Vibrations
6. Rollin'
7. Celebrate Life
8. The Sorrow Of Love
9. (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am
10. Don't Wanna Go Down There

The backing musicians weren't credited on this album but included the unlikely choice of The Average White Band from Scotland, supplemented at times by Lowell George of Little Feat.

Onnie McIntyre, guitarist and vocalist with the AWB, describes how the collaboration came about in an interview with Gary James at www.classicbands.com/AWBInterview.html

Producer: David Anderle.

1974

1. Your Kind Of Kindness
2. Atlanta, Georgia
3. It's Time
4. Cover Me
5. Higher And Higher
6. Where You Come From
7. Cowboys And Indians
8. (Your Love Has Brought Me From A) Mighty Long Way
9. Since I Met You Baby
10. Oncoming Traffic

Bonnie Bramlett, Vocals, Tambourine

Gregg Allman, Organ
Scott Boyer, Eddie Hinton and Tommy Talton, Guitar
Chuck Leavell, Piano
Paul Hornsby, Keyboards
Tom Ridgeway, Synthesiser
Randall Bramlett, Dave Brown and Harold Williams,Saxophone
Earl Ford, Trombone
Leo Labranche, Trumpet
Clydie King and Shirley Matthews, Vocals
Johnny Sandlin, Guitar, Percussion
Bill Stewart, Drums
Jerry Thompson, Drums, Percussion
Kenny Tibbetts, Bass, Percussion
Butch Trucks, Congas

Producer: Johnny Sandlin

Maybe the pick of the crop, with telling help from numerous terrific players. Bonnie tackles Gregg Allman's "Oncoming Traffic" with paticular aplomb but there are many highlights on this album.

LADY'S CHOICE

1976

1. Think (About It)
2. Hold On I'm Coming
3. You Send Me
4. Never Gonna Give You Up
5. Let's Go Get Stoned
6. Two Steps From The Blues
7. If I Were Your Woman
8. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby
9. You've Really Got A Hold On Me
10. Thrill On The Hill (Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go)
11. Forever Young

Gregg Allman, Organ (track 1), Vocals (track 6)
Anita Ball, Backing Vocals (track 1)
Barry Beckett, Keyboards
Dickey Betts, Guitar (track 8)
Bonnie Bramlett, Vocals
Randall Bramlett, Soprano Saxophone (track 3)
Harrison Calloway, Trumpet
Dianne Davidson, Backing Vocals (track 1)
Ronnie Eades, Saxophone
Dobie Gray, Vocals (track 4)
Jimmy Hall, Vocals (track 9)
Roger Hawkins, Drums
Ricky Hirsch, Guitar, Horn (track 5)
David Hood, Bass
Paul Hornsby, Keyboards
Chuck Leavell, Piano (tracks 8 & 9)
Charles Rose, Horn
Johnny Sandlin and Tommy Talton,Guitar
Mickey Thomas, Vocals (tracks 2 & 9)
Harvey Thompson, Tenor Saxophone
Bobby Whitlock, Vocals (track 10)

Producer: Johnny Sandlin

Songs by Issac Hayes, Smokey Robinson, James Brown and Sam Cooke indicate a slight shift towards different territory. But with a backbone from Muscle Shoals and contributions from Gregg, Dickie and Chuck from the ABB, amongst other fine southern musicians, the depature isn't so great after all. The result is though, with a clutch of inspired duets, rounded out by an uplifting rendition of Bob Dylan's classic anthem, "Forever Young".

Ironicaly, the LP cover definitely isn't one you could describe as the lady's choice.

IT'S TIME /

LADY'S CHOICE

2004

Tracks as on the above two albums.

Contributors as on the above two albums.

Well done Raven Records in Australia for this (and many other) well chosen re-releases!

Hall S has written a well deserved appreciation for Mega Music Reviews, titled Bonnie at Her Best.

MEMORIES

1978

1. Holdin' On To You
2. Writing On The Wall
3. Except For Real
4. Lies
5. I've Just Seen A Face
6. Can't Find My Way Home
7. The Flame Blinds The Moth
8. Can't Stay
9. Memories

STEP BY STEP

1981

1. Givin' It Up
2. Back Out On The Street
3. For The Love Of It
4. Let It Flow
5. Whispering Hope
6. Step By Step (We're Moving Closer To Jesus)
7. White Dove
8. Sweet Rose Of Sharon
9. Joy

Whilst not typical of the rest of the album, “Sweet Rose of Sharon” is one of Bonnie’s best ever recorded songs. The album is dedicated to Bonnie’s mother and this traditional hymn, her favourite song, is sung in a captivatingly warm and powerful way, with fitting gospel piano accompaniment.

Joe English was in Bonnie’s band around this period. He nearly got fired… not because he was a useless drummer but because it looked like he might be loyally dithering when faced with the opportunity of joining Paul McCartney’s Wings. Nice one, Bonnie!

I'M STILL THE SAME

2002

1. Hurt
2. What If
3. No Man's Land
4. Made A Believer Out Of Me
5. Superstar
6. Give It Time
7. Closer To You
8. You Belong To Me
9. Sure Sign Of Something
10. Cry Me A River
11. I'm Still The Same

Bonnie Bramlett, Vocals

Reggie Young, Guitar

Mickey Raphael, Harmonica

Sam Levine, Soprano saxophone

Dennis Solee, Saxophone

John Jonethis, Piano

John Jarvis, Jason Webb, Clayton Ivey, Keyboards

Kevin Mark Grantt, Doug Cahan, Bass

Randy Hardison, Eddie Bayers, Elijah D. Holt, Vince Baranco, Drums

Eric Darken, Percussion

Carolyn Corlew, Background vocals

The Nashville String Machine

Nashville Horns

Bonnie returns determined to prove her capabilities are more than just intact, with a mature set that oozes class as well as a lot of pain. Some soft jazz arrangements allowed the microscope to come in really close and highlights the conrol and expressive power Bonnie has with her natural instrument. Not rocking the blues this time, rather reflecting, as part of a process to gather strength and move on.

ROOTS, BLUES & JAZZ

Estimated Release Date:

14 March 2006

1. Love the One You're With
2. I Can Laugh About It Now
3. No Particular Place to Go
4. I'm Confessin'
5. Gotcha!
6. That Lucky Old Sun
7. Mercy Mercy Mercy
8. Change is Gonna Come
9. Carefree
10. Work Song
11. Love Hurts
12. Harlem Nocturne

Bonnie Bramlett, lead & background vocals

Robbie Montgomery and Jessie Lucas (formerly with The Ikettes), background vocals

Bekka Bramlett, Chip Davis, Margie Cates, Steve Willets, Callaway, background vocals

Mr. Groove is:

Tim Smith, bass
Roddy Smith, guitar
Steve Willets, piano
Mark Stallings, Hammond organ
Tim Gordon, saxes and flute
Donnie Marshall, drums and percussion

Special guests:

Bobby Ogdin, keyboards
Dann Sherrill, percussion

Originally shaping up as more of a straight jazz album, we're now also looking at a Chuck Berry number and some other styles too, as the revised title indicates.

Bonnie's delighted to be joined by a couple of old friends from the Ikettes. Phew, that's well over 40 years ago and still going stong!

Check out more details at: http://zohomusic.com/cds_detail.php?cds_id=33