Bonnie Raitt was stunned to win the Grammy for Song of the Year

CNN
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If her expression was anything to go by, blues singer Bonnie Raitt didn’t expect to win Song of the Year at the 65th Grammy Awards on Sunday.

Her song “Just Like That” had three Grammy nominations and two wins, for Best American Roots Song and Song of the Year. She snatched the award for the latter under the noses of other nominees, including Beyoncé, Adele, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles.

When first lady Jill Biden opened the envelope and said her name, Raitt sat dazed, her mouth hanging open, for a few moments before heading to collect her award.

“Oh my God,” were the 73-year-old singer’s first words on stage.

“I’m so surprised, I don’t know what to say,” she added.

Clutching his statuette, Raitt called it a “surreal moment”, before thanking the Recording Academy.

“Thank you for honoring me, to all of the academy that surrounds me with so much support and appreciates the art of songwriting as I do,” she said.

Raitt’s winning song, “Just Like That,” is about a woman visited by a man who is only alive because of the heart he received — a heart that had belonged to the woman’s son.

“I was so inspired for this song by the incredible story of love, grace and generosity of someone who donates their beloved’s organs to help another person live and that story was so simple and so beautiful for that time,” Raitt explained in his acceptance speech.

She said the song was inspired by the late John Prine, a renowned country-folk singer-songwriter who died in 2020 after complications from Covid-19.

“I don’t write a lot of songs but I’m so proud that you’re enjoying this one and what it means to me and the rest of the songwriters without whom I wouldn’t be here tonight,” she said. added.

Before leaving the stage, she thanked her team for their help with the record.

“I’m just totally humbled… Thank you.”

Not content with two wins for “Just Like That,” Raitt picked up her third Grammy of the night — and the 13th of her career — for another song, “Made Up Mind,” in the Americana Performance category.