Bonnie Raitt was presented with the prestigious Song of the Year prize at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The award was given to a shocked Raitt by First Lady Jill Biden for her song “Just Like That,” which she wrote in memory of her late friend and fellow musician John Prine, who died following a battle with coronavirus in 2020. During her acceptance speech, Raitt thanked the Recording Academy for recognizing “the art of songwriting” and honoring her work. She credited much of the positive response to people’s love for Prine. The Song of the Year category is one of four main Grammys categories awarding composition, and is open to works released or rising within an eligibility period from October 2021 to September 2022. The award recognizes songwriters rather than performing artists.
Released in April 2022, “Just Like That” appears on Raitt’s album of the same name, peaking at No 44 on Billboard 200 chart. The lyrics were inspired by a human interest news story about a woman donating her late son’s heart. Raitt beat out songs such as Gayle’s “abcdefu”, Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”, Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”, Harry Styles’ “As It Was” etc which were also nominated in this category. Going further into detail about each nominee reveals interesting stories about their respective compositions. For example, Gayle’s “abcdefu” was written as an ode to friendship and appreciation of everyday moments that together become special memories in life; Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” was an anthem for self-acceptance and empowerment; and Taylor Swift composed “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” following experiences of heartache which she wanted to capture and drive home through a powerful ballad.Harry Styles wrote his nomination “As It Was” as a reflection on lessons he had learnt throughout his career so far and how they made him who he is today – carrying messages around strength, courage, resilience and optimism that resonates deeply with many fans all over world.
Despite tough competition, it was Bonnie Raitt who emerged champion of this category thanks largely to emotional resonance that came with her track “Just like That” – depicting themes around lost loved ones , honoring memory and the power healing through music – sentiments that struck strong chord among members Recording Academy . And so , it wasn’t long until Bonnie Raitt was crowned Song of Year at 2023 Grammy awards – celebrating talents remarkable woman whose timeless classic will be remembered for years come .