Bonnie Raitt’s deal with Capitol Records ended in 2005 with the album “Souls Alike,” per The New York Times. She took some time away from music after experiencing two tremendous losses — the death of her father, Broadway star John Raitt in 2005 and her brother Steve in 2009. Striking out on her own, Raitt decided to set up her own label, Redwing Records, which released her next studio record, “Slipstream,” in 2012. Fans found the album well worth the wait. In true Raitt style, it defies categorization and pulls from her many musical influences. She recorded covers of Bob Dylan’s “Million Miles” and “Standing in the Doorway,” as well as a reggae-infused version of Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line” (via AllMusic).
“Slipstream” brought Raitt her 10th Grammy win, but it was an honor that she had never received before — she picked up the award for best Americana album. More than 250,000 copies of the record were sold, an impressive feat for an independent release (via her official site). And Raitt continues to thrive as an independent artist, touring extensively and releasing new music through her own company.