Love Letters, duet with Elton John

Elton John, Duets, 1993

There's a big difference between Love Letter, and Love Letters, this collaboration between Elton John and Bonnie Raitt. It's another silly love song, not that there's anything wrong with that, but you wouldn't find it on any of Raitt's albums. Her guitar solo livens it up and gives it some bite.

Neither iTunes nor Amazon sells an MP3 version, but the CD is easy to find used. 
   
       
Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Love Letters  

Getting Over You, duet with Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson, Across the Borderline, 1993

Bonnie Raitt has collaborated with Willie Nelson three times over the years: in 1993 on this duet, in 1979 playing guitar on Trouble In Mind, and in 2001 harmonizing on You Remain. Unfortunately, Getting Over You is not an original Willie Nelson song, but it's a quieter song with exceptionally clear vocals. If you've got a thing for their voices, it's a song for you.    

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Getting Over You (duet with Willie Nelson)  

Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, duet with Jackson Browne

Various Artists, Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Peter Seeger, 1998

If you like your Bonnie sweet with a hint of reggae, you'll love this Pete Seeger ballad that she and Jackson Browne perform together. If you don't want to invest in the double-CD Pete Seeger tribute, you can get just this song from your favorite digital music source.  

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (duet with Jackson Browne)  

Merry Christmas Baby, duet with Charles Brown

Various Artists, A Very Special Christmas 2, 1992

For Bonnie Raitt fans, Christmas music doesn't get any than this duet with Charles Brown. It'll warm you up faster than eggnog and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Between Merry Christmas Baby and Someone to Love, Raitt's other duet with Charles Brown, this one is more engaging. Clip below, full song over on YouTube.

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Merry Christmas Baby (duet with Charles Brown)  

Someone to Love, duet with Charles Brown

Charles Brown, Someone to Love, 1992

Here's a gem. Bonnie Raitt joins jazz/blues pianist Charles Brown in a duet on the title track of Someone to Love. Just Charles, Bonnie, and a piano. It's not listed on the her official guest discography, but on the same album, Bonnie adds her unmistakable slide guitar sound to Every Little Bit Hurts. Take a listen.

The collaborate again for a version of Merry Christmas Baby, but I'll leave that for next time.

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Someone to Love (duet)
  
• Every Little Bit Hurts (guitar)  

Baby I Love You, duet with B.B. King

B.B. King, Deuces Wild, 1997

Baby I Love You is a pretty lightweight song with none of the punch of, say, The Thrill is Gone, but, hey, it's B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt showing off their distinct guitar styles. Who cares about the lyrics? The first minute is all Bonnie--on the sweeter side--before B.B. joins in. BTW, if you're a B.B. King fan too, you'll love the whole album.   

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Baby I Love You (duet)

You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman), trio with Aretha Franklin and Gloria Estafan

Aretha Franklin, Greatest Hits (1980-1994), 1994

How many musicians have what it takes to play guitar next to Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton one day, and then belt out a big song with the likes of Aretha Franklin? Precious few. No guitar on this one, but soaring vocals from 3 greats.

The recording comes from a 1993 TV special. If you want to add it to your collection, you can pick up the track at Amazon.

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)

I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town, duet with Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown, R+B=Ruth Brown (1997), and
Ruth Brown, Ms. B's Blues: Essential Recordings (2011)

This is a fun bluesy duet with R&B legend Ruth Brown. Great humor. The original 1997 release appears again on Rounder's 2011 compilation. Brown has a MySpace page where you can hear the whole track.

The '97 album was nominated for a Grammy.

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• I'm Gonna My to the Outskirts of Town (duet)

Three duets with her father, John Raitt

John Raitt, Broadway Legend, 1995

Bonnie sings three show tunes with father, John Raitt, on this 1995 reprise of his Broadway career. The songs bring out a side of Bonnie's voice that you don't otherwise hear. She also writes a touching tribute to him in the liner notes. It's all very charming. So is this brief appearance on Dave Letterman.

All three songs are excellent, but Anything You Can Do is the warmest and most fun, so it get's a spot on my 10 best duets list.

Neither Amazon nor iTunes has the album available for MP3 download, but used copies of the CD are easy to come by. 

Tracks with Bonnie Raitt

• Anything You Can Do (duet)
• They Say It's Wonderful (duet)
• Hey There (duet)