One of the great underachievers of the seventies and most of the eighties, whose musical endeavors were more nomadic in nature than experimental, Bonnie Raitt finally struck pay dirt with the 1989 release of her Grammy-winning album Nick of Time. Proving it not jus a fluke, Raitt returned and released Luck of the Draw, capturing even more Grammys and going multi-platinum just two years later.

Just a burst of short lived energy? Hardly! Raitt's newest release Longing in Their Hearts is clearly not just the final piece to complete a contractual trilogy but a masterpiece that displays her multitude of talents. With two major successes riding in her back pocket, Raitt let it all hang out. Penning five of the tunes including the title cut, co-written with her husband, actor Michael O'Keefe, Raitt's down home sexy voice comes off barefoot and naked without losing its peppery edge.

Having production genius Don Was behind the wheel along with many of her old cronies, including Ricky Fataar, Benmount Tench, David Crosby, Sweet Pea Atkinson, and The Memphis Horns, she has hit a formula that allows her complete musical freedom.

Whether lamenting to a lover on the country tinged "You" or calling for heavy rain to describe a relationship going awry on "Storm Warning," Raitt never missed a lick. Longing in Their Hearts is Raitt's greatest album to date.

Reviewer:  Tom Elliott, courtesy of Flash Magazine.