Bonnie Bramlett

Bonnie Bramlett (born Bonnie Lynn O'Farrell, November 8, 1944) is an American singer and occasional actress known for performing with her husband, Delaney Bramlett, as Delaney & Bonnie. She continues to sing as a solo artist.

Bonnie O'Farrell was born in Granite City, Illinois, the daughter of a steelworker. When she was young her parents divorced and remarried other spouses. She was raised with an extended family that included four half-and step-siblings. She began singing as a child. When she was five years old, she sang "Beautiful Golden Harbor" at the family church in Granite City. Bonnie started her musical career at the age of fifteen singing around St. Louis. She performed as a backup singer for blues musicians such as Albert King and Little Milton, and R&B singer Fontella Bass.

Bonnie was inspired by Tina Turner to pursue a singing career. In her teens, she saw Ike & Tina Turner perform at a club in nearby East St. Louis. Bonnie became the first white Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. She filled in for Ikette Jessie Smith who had briefly quit after her boyfriend, Sam Rhodes, a bassist in the Kings of Rhythm was fired. Bramlett recalled: "Jessie left when Sam left and they needed an Ikette. I was there so I went with them. For three days. I was 17 and I was white and my mother wouldn't let me stay any longer than that. I could only help them out, she said. So I just put on a dark wig because I'm blonde and Man Tan because I'm white and helped them out."

Eventually Bramlett moved to Los Angeles to escape abuse by her father and stepfather. In 1967, she met musician Delaney Bramlett (1939–2008), performing at the opening of a bowling alley with the "Shindogs", the house band of the television show Shindig!. They were married a week later. The duo signed with Stax Records and became known as Delaney & Bonnie. They soon toured Europe with the British rock guitarist 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. Their album On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970) reached #29 on the Billboard 200. Between 1970 and 1972, the duo had seven songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100, including their best-known single "Never Ending Song of Love" which peaked at #13 and a cover of Dave Mason's "Only You Know and I Know" which peaked at #20.

With Leon Russell, Delaney and Bonnie co-wrote "Superstar", popularized by the Carpenters, and with Eric Clapton, Bonnie wrote the classic "Let It Rain", which is included on Clapton's eponymous first album. The song '"Superstar'" was originally written by Bonnie Bramlett and Rita Coolidge as detailed in the autobiography Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge and Michael Walker. Eric Clapton added some embellishments to the music.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.