Rock Stories #7: Bonnie Raitt & John Allen Cassady

Rubbing shoulders at Hooker farewell

It’s been a little while since we had a tale of rock musicians crossing paths with members of the Beat fraternity. But let’s put that right, as John Allen Cassady, son of Carolyn and Neal, encounters a favourite slide guitarist at a commemoration of one of the greatest bluesmen of all…

Bonnie Lynn Raitt was born on November 8th, 1949, in Burbank, CA. Daughter of Broadway legend John Raitt, she was surrounded by music growing up. Barely in her twenties, she travelled to the Deep South to learn the blues from the source, the ‘Masters’, if you will.

Here's a white girl (and a redhead, no less), surrounded by older Black musicians, but they loved her. They kind of ‘took her under their wing’, as it were, and she became one of the best slide guitar players of all time! But that's old news.

Blues legend John Lee Hooker died in his sleep on June 21st, 2001, at his home in Los Altos, CA, at age 88. I thought that he stole the show in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers with ‘Boom, Boom’.

So, one day my old friend, newspaper magnate Dan Pulcrano calls me up and says, ‘Hey, do you want to go to John Lee Hooker's Memorial Service today up in Oakland?’ I think I answered with my standard line, ‘Does a duck have lips? Let's GO!’ It was by invitation only, of course, but Dan has clout.

The service was held in a building right under the Tabernacle Choir Temple in East Oakland. I remember thinking, ‘What, was John Lee a Mormon?’ Doubtful. Merely a coincidence? Who knows in this crazy world, ya know?

We were seated in the third row, the VIP section (did I mention that Dan has clout?) I was in the aisle seat. I looked to my right, and there she was! Across the aisle sat Bonnie Raitt! I was in awe (but what's new? ha, ha).

There were a few speakers, including Bluesbreaker John Mayall (Eric Clapton couldn't make it, darn!) Then Bonnie took the pulpit. She and John Lee had made a couple of record albums together, (remember those?), and she delivered a heart-warming eulogy, with John Lee's casket right before her.

After the service, Bonnie was right behind me in the line to sign the guest book in the lobby. In the slim chance that I got to meet her, I had rehearsed my line. Four words, ‘I love your work!’ Or another four words, ‘Will you marry me?’ (Yeah, as if!). But I choked. I was too shy to talk to her, and she even smiled at me when it was her turn to sign the book!

I don't know why, but all of a sudden I felt like Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners. ‘I- I- I.’ Or worse yet, Porky Pig! ‘Ebedie, ebedie, ebedie, That's All, Folks!’ Anyway, the moral? ‘Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to people that you admire!’ I guess.

On the way home in Dan's giant Mercedes, he said, ‘You idiot! If she had known who you are, she would have wanted YOUR autograph!’

Story of my life? Naw. Maybe there'll be a ‘next time!’ (Don't hold your breath! Ha, ha).

Keep a Rockin', Bonnie Raitt!

John Allen Cassady