Don Was has had some great experiences at the GRAMMY Awards. In 1994, he was named Producer of The Year.  That same year, he was the musical director for a tribute to Curtis Mayfield that featured Bruce Springsteen, B.B. King and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid. In 2009, he got a golden gramophone for Best Musical Album for Children due to his work on Ziggy Marley’s Family Time. 

But he told Radio.com that his greatest GRAMMY night was on February 21, 1990, the year Bonnie Raitt took home an armful of awards for her triumphant comeback album, Nick Of Time.

Was produced that album and sat in between Bonnie and her father, Broadway star John Raitt, at the ceremony.  He says, “Kids are always looking to validate themselves in their parent’s eyes, it doesn’t matter how old you are. And especially when you’re in the same field as your parents.” The level of emotion got higher with each award. Was recalls “It was really intense.”  

Raitt actually won four GRAMMYS that night: Nick Of Time won Best Pop Vocal Performance (Female), Best Rock Vocal Performance (Female) and Album Of The Year.  Her other award for the night was for her duet with John Lee Hooker, “I’m In The Mood,” from his album The Healer. 

Raitt has nine career GRAMMYS, and is up for a tenth this year: her Slipstream is up against albums by Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers and The Lumineers for Best Americana Album.

The GRAMMYS air Sunday night at 8 pm ET on CBS.

– Brian Ives, CBS Local