Sarah Marie Pittman – Pollstar
Friday April 17, 2009

Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal are joining forces to bring their signature blends of blues together for a 30-date North American tour.

The “BonTaj Roulet” tour kicks off at Community Arts Center in Williamsport, Pa., Aug. 6 and winds down Sept. 25 at The Show At Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Additional dates stops include Bank of America Pavilion in Boston (Aug. 15), Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta (Aug.18 ), Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. (Aug. 30), Cuthbert Amphitheatre in Eugene, Ore. (Sept. 7) and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (Sept. 11).

“This tour is just what the doctor ordered,” Raitt said in a statement about their first ever tour together. “Taj and I have so much in common, but there’s so much unexplored territory between us. It’s been a long time coming, and now is the right time.”

Raitt and Mahal first met in the early ‘70s when she opened for him at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Mahal then co-produced Raitt’s third album, 1973’s Takin’ My Time.

“I watched her develop under the tutelage of people like Fred McDowell and Sippie Wallace,” said Mahal, who is being inducted into the Blues Hal of Fame in May. “She got right in there and stomped it down. She wasn’t afraid to play for real.”

The BonTaj Roulet Tour will feature full separate sets by Raitt and her band and Mahal and his six-piece, Grammy award winning Phantom Blues Band. The night will then end with a bang with the blues masters coming together for a collaborative performance.

A limited number of fans will have the chance to see the show from premium seats and go backstage for a meet-and-greet with Raitt and Mahal by purchasing Action Fund VIP packages. All funds from the VIP packages go into the BonTaj Collective Action Fund.

Ticketmaster, Live Nation Ticketing, Musictoday and various venues and promoters are working with The BonTaj Roulet Tour to raise funds for a variety of causes through the BonTaj Collective Action Fund with the goal of collecting $1 for charity per ticket sold.

Fans will also get a chance to vote on how they think the money should be doled out. Proceeds will be distributed in proportion to the overall votes tallied. Causes include Safe and Sustainable Energy, Environmental Protection, Social Justice and Human Rights and Blues/Music Education.

For more info and to vote on causes and buy special premium seating, click here to visit bontaj.com/thecollective.

–Sarah Marie Pittman