(4/4) Why did Ritchie Blackmore choose Me? Graham Bonnet tells all

Graham Bonnet shares his surprising experience of joining the iconic rock band Rainbow! He'll detail the moment that changed his life as he recounts the nerve-wracking audition and the hilarious twist that won him the gig. Learn how Graham transitioned from his pop music background to the world of rock, supported by superstars like Ritchie Blackmore, Cozy Powell and Roger Glover.
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[@jeffbauer3425]

It's nice that Graham's Dad knows so much about his son's career.🤣

[@teacuppermike2568]

Such a unique voice. Blackmore, Schenker, Malmsteen! What a résumé!

[@blitvar1]

You forgot Steve Vai.

[@teacuppermike2568]

For sure! I loved that Alcatrazz album. Mercy is such a cool tune, but the whole album is great.

[@chuckp342]

​@@teacuppermike2568Has any vocalist worked with more top-tier guitarists? His Impellitteri albums originally turned me on to Bonnet. He might just be the best metal vocalist of all-time, but flew under the radar in the US.

[@vitosantangelo1]

"Down To Earth" is a great album. 'No Time To Lose' is my favorite ...great performance throughout the whole album. Heard the album when it was released and still, to this day, I'm astonished at some of the vocal parts. 💯

[@MagusRealm]

Graham is a great singer, down to earth, great album. All his music too.

[@bluesdoc737]

​@@CB-xr1egGraham didn't say that, his manager did.

[@CB-xr1eg]

@@bluesdoc737 You're right, I sit corrected. Comment deleted.

[@joeblog2672]

"Down to Earth" LOL

[@bobthebear1246]

Graham Bonnet was the least likely choice, yet the genius choice, for Rainbow. He had gone from being an R&B/Disco singer to a Metal singer in one fell swoop, and changed the face of Metal forever. I have always loved Graham Bonnet as a singer and now I must say I love him as a person too. He is such a supremely engaging storyteller. Love the guy. And what a great singer he is!!

[@cactusjackNV]

Graham Bonnet WAS NOT a disco singer. Nor would have been considered even close to R&B. Disco didn't even exist before he started with Rainbow. Yes the Bee Gees wrote songs for "The Marbles" but the Bee Gees were a pop act in the 60s and early 70s.

[@markn3936]

I remember seeing this short-haired guy with aviators on video one night and just thought he looked soo cool

[@dowens70]

​​@@cactusjackNV Dude, Graham Bonnet's first (and only album) with Rainbow was released in 1979 - disco had been around since 1975, so a good 4 years before he joined Rainbow.

[@Mitch93]

​@cactusjackNV Disco was at it's peak in 79, mate.

[@simonjones8723]

Metal??? Erm No I dont thik so. 🙂

[@smilinacha]

Makes me feel SO OOOOOLD, seeing more and more musicians of my musical era becoming Old Men & looking like my ‘ole “grrraaaan-pop” IF they’re still alive👴🏼👀🤔🥺. It’s so hard to believe that Graham is currently 75 years old. Got me thinking of the current ages of other great frontmen: Paul McCartney - age 81 • 6-18-1942 Robert Plant - age 74 • 8-20-1948 Paul Rogers - age 73 • 12-17-1949 Ian Gillan - age 77 • 8-19-1945 Ozzy Osbourne - age 74 • 12-03-1948 David Coverdale - age 71 • 9-22-1951 Steven Tyler🇺🇸 - age 75 • 3-26-1948 … just naming ones that immediately came to mind. (Please pardon me for others that I forgot, I’m getting old myself😑. I guess the reality of mortality and how fleeting time is wound up and belted me today🫤. I guess if anything, I can be thankful they are all still with us - AND - that they were discovered, and allowed to create the music that has so inspired our lives.

[@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973]

When I was a kid ,say 1980 or so, there was no such thing as an old rock star. Chuck Berry was probably the oldest one and he was around 50 . It's something most people probably don't even consider. Elvis was only 42 when he died and he was one of the pioneers of rock and roll. The second wave of rock stars , the oldest of British invasion cats were just turning 40, still young men really, certainly not old men.

[@banditalley9592]

"Down To Earth" is one of the best. It's a shame Ritchie was half way between classic rock and American commercial rock when Graham joined. A couple of albums could have really got something extra special. Graham still has an amazing voice to this day, something his contemporaries can't always claim.

[@fastinbulvis2223]

He was doing great with them until he pulled his johnson out during a live show.

[@banditalley9592]

@@fastinbulvis2223 That wasn't Rainbow, that was with Michael Schenker after he left Rainbow

[@fastinbulvis2223]

@@banditalley9592 That's right. I stand corrected. Thanks!

[@tizianoregazzi2452]

Graham Bonnet the legend

[@cricket8646]

I bought Down to Earth when it came out. Saw the tour. Graham is also on one of the Michael Schenker albums that came out recently. Great singer !!

[@RandyFricke]

My favorite Graham Bonnet outing was Michael Schenker's Assault Attack. Great lineup. Great sounding record.

[@marcusmascarenhascs742]

One must admit: Rainbow was huge with Dio, a fantastic act live, then went average "April Wine league" with Bonnet. I'm glad they only recorded one album

[@micknordstrom2591]

Down to Earth is probably my favorite album by Rainbow! Graham did an amazing job on that one... and the songs! Wow!

[@paulmajor8865]

Graham bonnet was in rainbow for a year and a half

[@zatarra2766]

graham is a legend.

[@RhysP65]

Graham Bonnet has turned into John Shuttleworth.

[@ravenmad9225]

At first I thought it was Reg Holdsworth,but you're right it is John.

[@danielthomas8507]

I met graham in New Zealand back in the late 70's early 80's???? .., he was touring with Warm ride(cool song), i waited in line at the local record store to get his autograph hehe......great singer.

[@petersneddon1579]

That old man sang Danger Zone, just think about that.

[@barryrammer7906]

Who does Ritchie Blackmore find these musicians. Unreal, I thought when I saw them Rainbow stood out with his hair. It was different and unique.

[@max7even284]

He looked like an idiot. 😅

[@SHENDOH]

Assault attack is my favorite GB

[@QuarrellaDeVil]

Somewhere in there, a certain Brian Johnson auditioned for the band as well. Goodness, would we all love to hear GB's "Mistreated" performance. My understanding was always that, after the cassette game that Cozy played, the gig was pretty much Graham's anyway.

[@banditalley9592]

I just tried to Google his version to no avail :(

[@QuarrellaDeVil]

@@banditalley9592 Oh, I'd be surprised if it even exists anymore. It it does, it's probably in a shoebox somewhere, unlabeled or mislabeled. I expect that if it saw the light of day, though, it would have to get past Ritchie Blackmore. There's supposed to be a studio version of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" in the vaults, and as crazy as it sounds, I'd love to hear whatever backing vocals GB recorded for "I Surrender" before he quit. Not much, probably, could be a "Her Majesty" type of thing for a few seconds, but I'm still curious.

[@crispyrobot77]

Graham is an *amazing* vocalist. For Fans of his work I highly recommend Alcatrazz's album "Disturbing the Peace" on which most of the songs were co-written by himself and guitarist Steve Vai. Before you listen for the first time, be sure to have a fire extinguisher within reach.. for when your head explodes.

[@bolinfan1519]

Great segment of a superlative interview!

[@VRPRocks]

Thank you for the kind words 🙏

[@klyvemurray]

Could you ask Graham about his brief tenure with The Party Boys in Australia back in the late 80's?

[@HARDAOREDGE]

Huge voice....how daring to take the mic after RJD left...yet he took the chance and did it and the most important in his own way...he never tried to immitate him...he didn't try to change his persona... that's why he is a huge singer... like RJD and like JLT.... each one on his own right 🎉❤

[@marclehmann1940]

The only bad thing about the Down To Earth album is the cover artwork. 👻🤘

[@cs292]

It’s like Ritchie just couldn’t find his vocalist…he wanted Paul Rodgers…I think the closest was Joe Lynn Turner…and those Rainbow albums, I thought, were the best.

[@lucalone]

I have read that Bonnet, a cousin of the Bee Gees, was Ritchie's 5th choice. No one wanted to sing in his band after they heard some "stories" about him and how he "works" with his bandmates. By the way, all lyrics on that one album with that screamer (that ain''t singing what Graham is doing...) were written by Roger Glover^

[@max7even284]

What screamer?

[@lucalone]

that ain''t singing what Graham is doing..@@max7even284

[@drummerrme]

Graham was at his best when in MSG & Alcatrazz

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

Assault attack. The coke sniffing hounds.

[@marcusmascarenhascs742]

It's a shame that Queen never recorded Since You've Been Gone. That song sounds so "queenish", was always a perfect fit for Mercury and Brian May. For the record, Brian May played it live several times

[@markc4305]

...and that was surprising given that Cozy Powell was in his band, and he infamously hated the song! I've read that Rainbow had to nail it in one take because Cozy didn't want to keep playing it over and over

[@philnorris9179]

Thats Count Arthur Strong!

[@markc4305]

Deep Purple didn't really change their name to Rainbow! Deep Purple were still going when Ritchie went off to pursue what became Rainbow. And, interestingly, Roger Glover was initially brought in only to produce the album (Down to Earth)

[@kevinkhoy7171]

Turns out Both had the same Alpha Ego! Only room for 1 Chief in 🌈 So just like in DP! It was Ian Gillian or David Coverdale all over again for Richy! 🎸 That's probably why Richie reverted to a "Ouija Board" 😆 He probably thought he was cursed with uncooperative lead singers! GB Great Voice! Just Not a Team Player!

[@kevinkhoy7171]

@@Taylor.Dude. Your Right! I should not have included DC. You're also right about he would be today 😄

[@ravenmad9225]

I think Graham could have his moments of lets say,unhelpful behaviour.Particularly when he had a drink or two.

[@kevinkhoy7171]

@@ravenmad9225 Oh Man, "No Doubt" about it! 😄

[@AlexAlexon3897]

Those JLT albums are good, but they would've been more appealing to me if GB had stayed in Rainbow. I think they would've been more successful too. Don't forget that Graham made a 10/10 classic with Schenker.

[@markc4305]

Graham did, apparently, start work on what became Difficult to Cure, but never saw it through, of course.

[@morrisanderson3180]

superb singer, much better than jolene turner imo his album with rainbow is my favourite.

[@rockroll575]

The very last good singer of Rainbow !

[@Cali62825]

No…Joe Lynn Turner was the last good singer

[@conradmaxwell3751]

🌸 'Promosm'

[@kennardjohnson7875]

I never liked dio,but I liked Graham and after he was gone I would never listen to rainbow again. Next never liked ingvaa mamastine either, a real big.

[@marcusmascarenhascs742]

Great singer, odd visual, weird stage presence. Looks like Abba or Village People went metal. It was like if the uncle from the barbershop were singing in my favorite band

[@dowens70]

Graham Bonnet - the Joe Biden of rock.